Primer Vector-Based Optimization of Multi-Impulse Transfers in the Saturn-Enceladus System for South Pole Plume Exploration
BEER M. 1, BOONE S. 1, LIZY-DESTREZ S. 1, CAVAILLES P. 1
1 SacLAB - ISAE-Supaero, TOULOUSE, France
Recent discoveries from the Cassini–Huygens mission revealed active plumes of liquid water erupt ing from the south pole of Enceladus, indicating the presence of a subsurface ocean and making this moon one of the most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life. Building upon this legacy, ongoing mission studies aim to sample and characterize these plumes and search for possible mi crobial signatures. To enable such astrobiological investigations, propellant-efficient trajectories toward low-altitude orbits over the south pole are required. This work presents an indirect optimization framework for designing multi-impulse transfers within the Saturn–Enceladus Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP). The method applies Lawden’s Primer Vector Theory to iteratively refine suboptimal two-impulse transfers by intro ducing intermediate maneuvers, minimizing total ?V . The trajectories are computed using a multiple shooting scheme, enabling convergence even in highly sensitive dynamical regions. Transfers are designed from the L1 and L2 halo orbits, which serve as staging locations within the Saturn–Enceladus system. Due to their intrinsic instability, these orbits can be accessed and departed from with relatively low energy, providing efficient gateways toward more stable and operationally valuable science orbits, such as Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbits (NRHOs), butterfly, and period-3 halo orbits that pass near the south pole. Results show that the method can substantially reduce fuel requirements for orbit insertion and transfer around Enceladus. However, the study also highlights the sensitivity of indirect methods to the initial guess, especially in the chaotic environment characteristic of the low-mass-ratio Saturn Enceladus system. Non-convergent cases are analyzed to illustrate the challenges and limitations of local optimization in such complex dynamics. This work advances the state of knowledge by providing the first systematic study of multi-impulse transfers from unstable halo staging orbits to south-pole science orbits around Enceladus, high lighting both fuel-efficient pathways and the sensitivity of trajectory optimization in low-mass-ratio systems. It lays the groundwork for future mission planning and astrobiological exploration, bridg ing the gap between theoretical CR3BP trajectory optimization and practical mission design for icy moon exploration.