PRACTICAL METHODOLOGIES FOR LOW DELTA-V PENALTY, ON-TIME DEPARTURES TO ARBITRARY INTERPLANETARY DESTINATIONS FROM A MEDIUM-INCLINATION LOW-EARTH ORBIT DEPOT

The authors present a 3-burn injection method that enables manned and robotic spacecraft to depart for interplanetary destinations from a Low-Earth Orbit propellant depot with only minor Delta V penalties. In this paper, the authors discuss related injection methodologies; illustrate the underlying concept behind this three-burn injection method; discuss implications of using this method, including potential mission safety benefits; and present some details on estimates of the worst-case Delta V penalty for performing this sort of departure maneuver, compared with a traditional one-burn departure from a LEO parking orbit.