Questions tagged [hohmann-transfer]
An orbital maneuver to transfer between two circular orbits consisting of one burn to enter the transfer orbit and one to circularize in the final orbit.
46
questions
1
vote
5answers
108 views
Forces experienced during transfer orbit
As I understand it, astronauts are weightless because they are in constant free fall around the earth. To get from earth to the moon or earth to mars, spaceships execute a transfer orbit, where they ...
3
votes
1answer
153 views
Why is Wikipedia's delta-v from the Moon to Mars transfer so much lower than mine?
I tried to write a nice answer to this first question by a new user, but I've crashed and burned.
I calculated the escape from the Moon to be about 2,376 m/s which is close to 2.3 km/s shown in the ...
6
votes
2answers
181 views
Do “partial” Hohmann transfers exist?
I'm doing some research for fiction writing, and I would like to have my plot points comply with known science whenever possible.
Regarding orbital transfers, I know that the fastest way from orbit A ...
1
vote
2answers
103 views
Do satellites inject into a Hohmann transfer orbit in Low Earth Orbit or in Solar orbit?
Lets say we have a satellite wanting to go to Mars. Do satellites such as MAVEN inject into a Hohmann transfer orbit while in Earth's orbit, or do they go out of Earth's Sphere of Influence into solar ...
10
votes
2answers
345 views
Why is the Chandrayaan lunar insertion so long?
The Chandrayan take 5 earth orbit modifications to reach a translunar trajectory. I thought less orbit modifications should be enough:
orbit inclination modification
burns to go into a ...
8
votes
1answer
304 views
What is Buzz Aldrin's T.O.R. plan? How does it work?
Buzz Aldrin is recently quoted in Ars Technical's Buzz Aldrin is looking forward, not back—and he has a plan to bring NASA along:
“This T.O.R. plan may be the most important thing I’ve ever done in ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Getting from LEO to a station in geostationary orbit and docking with it using a Hohmann transfer?
How long would it take for a spacecraft with a mass of 30,000 kg, to go from LEO to reach and match the speed of a space station in geostationary orbit so it could dock with the station, using a ...
1
vote
1answer
100 views
How to find the transfer orbit from a initial circular orbit to a final elliptical orbit
Is a hohmann transfer or bi-elliptical transfer more efficient for this case? How can I find the transfer orbit that conserves the most deltaV?
I will be going from a circular Earth centered orbit ...
1
vote
0answers
105 views
Would a Hohmann transfer within LEO be useful?
Hohmann transfer is often used between a lower LEO orbit and MEO, GTO, GEO or beyond.
But if the target is a high altitude within LEO, how would a direct ascent compare to ascent to a lower orbit ...
4
votes
1answer
275 views
Ratio of low-thrust slow spiral to Hohmann transfer $\Delta V$?
Going from one circular orbit to another, there are tables out there and equations that give the total $\Delta V$ needed for a two or three impulse maneuver scenario.
For a very low thrust propulsion ...
4
votes
0answers
75 views
Hohmann transfer trajectory and “porkchop plot”
The “porkchop plot” for a spacecraft flying from Earth to Mars would show contours of equal characteristic energy against combinations of launch date and arrival date. Assuming the spacecraft has ...
2
votes
0answers
64 views
Quantitatively, how deep are the stable equilibrium points in GEO? How much delta-v to move from one to the other?
This answer discusses a spacecraft in GEO using a two-impulse (circular → elliptical → circular) raise & lower maneuver to move (phase) itself by 180 degrees in longitude then return to synchrony. ...
-1
votes
1answer
116 views
Is it possible to supply 47 tons of payload to the orbit with 5 tons of fuel?
There are 2 orbits:
Circular orbit with 200km altitude
Circular orbit with 800km altitude
The space tug is already on the first orbit. Its dry mass is 960kg, the total mass of fuel is 5250 kg.
It ...
6
votes
1answer
335 views
Is Hohmann transfer the most frequent transfer orbit?
I have to complete a project for a university exam. The task is to design an interplanetary trajectory from Earth to Saturn, and to compare it with a
Hohmann transfer to the same planet. I also have ...
1
vote
1answer
276 views
Why is a Hohmann transfer from an elliptical orbit to a circular one more efficient if done from Perigee?
I was doing some calculations, mainly a Hohmann transfer between the following two orbits...
Note my calculations assume 0 perigee argument, 0 inclination and 0 right ascension...
Orbit start (400 ...
5
votes
1answer
112 views
Best heading for Hohmann transfer in real life
Assuming one wants to go from a 400x800 to a 1000x1000 orbit.
The solution that require the least D/v is a Hohmann transfer, with one burn at the perigee and one burn at the new apogee (or vice versa)...
4
votes
2answers
257 views
How to intuitively explain that tri-elliptic transfers are not better than bi-elliptic transfers?
The question How to intuitively explain that reaching geostationary orbits consume more Delta V than escape orbits? includes the graphic below, which illustrates that when transferring between ...
10
votes
4answers
690 views
How to intuitively explain that reaching geostationary orbits consume more Delta V than escape orbits?
Studying again orbital maneuvers, I found the following plotting the cost of a Hohmman transfer between coplanar circular orbits (black line), in terms of $\Delta V$ against the orbit ratio $r_f/r_i$.
...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Mars transfer window frequency
According to this website I drew up a timeline of Mars transfer windows and the time you'd need to stay on Mars before the next return window:
Blue to red arrows are Earth to mars transitions, red ...
2
votes
1answer
87 views
How to calculate mass of fuel for Venus Orbiter
I'm working on a hypothetical constellation of orbiters at Venus for a school project, and I am currently trying to figure out how much fuel I need in the transfer stage. I have already calculated ...
3
votes
2answers
374 views
How do I calculate wait time to launch?
I want to transfer between two planets using Hohmann transfers and the patched conic approach. However, I am struggling to figure out how long I have to wait at the starting planet (say Uranus) until ...
0
votes
0answers
72 views
Would a Mars flyby be possible on a transfer orbit from Saturn's moon of Titan to Earth?
So, I am trying to calculate whether a transfer burn from Saturn's moon of Titan to Earth would involve a Mars flyby, assuming I have the burn start on 2 March, 2025 and arrival on 19 March, 2031. ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
What's the reasonable “window” in days for a Mars-Earth Hohmann transfer?
As any popular science reader knows, when traveling between Earth and Mars,
there's a Hohmann transfer opportunity about every two years (I believe it's every 26 months, specifically).
What I've ...
3
votes
1answer
155 views
From which direction should a spacecraft intercept a target planet's sphere of influence for an inner-to-outer planet trajectory?
Suppose a spacecraft is on an interplanetary Hohmann transfer trajectory from an inner planet to an outer planet. When the spacecraft finally enters the target planet's sphere of influence, which ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Brachistochrone variation for Earth-to-Mars Orbit
Wouldn't a Brachistochrone curve to Mars orbit be a much faster and more efficient way to send personnel and equipment to mars as compared to the Hohmann transfer if we used an Ion engine?
The below ...
6
votes
1answer
945 views
How can Bielliptic transfers be more efficient than Hohmann transfers?
I don't have an exact citation or reference but I remember hearing that in some specific instances, that a bielliptic transfer can be more efficient than Hohmann transfers. The only possible instance ...
0
votes
1answer
208 views
Reducing transfer time between Mars and Saturn
How would I estimate the transfer time between Mars and Saturn if I have more Delta-V than necessary for a Hohmann transfer?
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Finding Delta V to circularize orbit after a transfer orbit.
I have been working on calculating all the the delta V needed to fly a rocket from one planet to another. I have worked out the delta V needed to raise the orbit to intercept the second planet, but ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Voyager Earth to Jupiter journey time
Voyager 1 was launched on Sept 5, 1977 and encountered Jupiter March 5, 1979, a journey of less than 2 years.
When I try to calculate the trajectory of the probe I assume a Hohmann transfer from ...
7
votes
2answers
491 views
Is bypassing LEO more efficient when launching to Venus or Mars?
According to the table in the Wikipedia article on Hohmann transfer orbits, when traveling to Venus or Mars, the Δv to enter a Hohmann transfer orbit from Earth's orbit is less than the Δv from LEO:
...
10
votes
1answer
781 views
How is 80 to 150 days to Mars possible at 6 km/s TMI Delta V?
Is the data presented on this slide realistic? Here's the slide:
Here's the talk at the time the slide is presented, so you can hear what he's saying with it.
I can ...
2
votes
2answers
321 views
Burns for EML-1 to LLO
Wikipedia gives 0.64 or 0.65 km/s for going from LLO to EML-1 or back. I would like to know what the delta v of the specific burns involved are, and if my initial calcs are close, I don't see how ...
9
votes
1answer
872 views
Thrust and rotation strategy to circularize a standard GTO orbit using ion propulsion?
The previous question How much time does it take to circularize a GTO orbit using ion propulsion? has a good, quantitative answer based on a known delta-v.
But I'm wondering how would you actually ...
-1
votes
1answer
396 views
I'm planning a roadtrip to the moon. What is going to be my best transfer orbit? How far will it be?
Fed up with clouds ruining clear nights here on earth, I point my car upwards, and head for the moon. My car can provide the same amount of relative thrust it can going 65 mph, simply in whatever ...
4
votes
2answers
305 views
Is It Easier To Hohmann Transfer to a Retrograde Satellite or to a Prograde Satellite?
Suppose I start on Earth and make a Hohmann transfer to Neptune. After traveling along my initial trajectory, I arrive at the Neptunian system. However, the objects in the Neptune system are going ...
5
votes
4answers
420 views
Do transfer orbits toward the central star necessarily result in a higher velocity on arrival due to the star's gravity?
Picture a system with three bodies: a central star and two planets in orbits around the central star. The planets' orbits are perfectly circular (eccentricity 0) and their orbital radii are 1.0 units ...
1
vote
1answer
438 views
Transfer to Capture Orbit Delta-V
Computing a delta-V budget from one heliocentric orbit to another can be done as a Hohmann transfer.
How does one calculate delta-V for transferring from a heliocentric orbit to be captured by ...
3
votes
2answers
6k views
Delta-V to Low Mars Orbit
I'm making a Mars probe in Kerbal Space Program Real Solar System, and I have 13 km/s of Delta-V in the lifter itself. I have a cryogenic second stage with a KVD-1 engine, it has 7.36 km/s of Delta-V, ...
1
vote
2answers
900 views
Titan trajectories options
As a little project in a course of spacecraft design, I have to plan a mission to Saturn's moon Titan.
The recommended trajectory is Hohmann transfer since it's easy to calculate the delta-V and ...
1
vote
0answers
160 views
Do all spacecrafts first enter orbit and then transfer to another body? [duplicate]
I would like to know if all spacecraft that have visited other planets first orbited our own planet and then performed an orbital transfer, or if there have been some that just went directly to the ...
7
votes
1answer
746 views
Orbital rendezvous with low-thrust engines?
The Hohmann Transfer is clear enough; Accelerate on your (circular) orbit at the right time, raising the apoapsis until it meets the target orbit. Once there, burn again to raise the periapsis - ...
3
votes
1answer
447 views
What payload mass can different launchers send in Hohmann trajectories to different destinations?
It would be nice to get an overview of what the launchers are capable of in terms of actual space missions. I understand that this depends on many factors, but the Hohmann trajectory seems to be a ...
1
vote
0answers
876 views
Need help calculating delta-v required for Earth to Mars low orbit Hohmann transfer
I'm trying to calculate the required delta-v to travel from a 200 km Earth orbit to a 200 km Mars orbit using the last equation from this answer:
$\Delta V=\sqrt{{\mu_S\over r_1}\left(\sqrt{\frac{...
7
votes
2answers
371 views
~15.5817 — Is there a name for this number?
I've been playing with Hohmann transfers from one circular orbit to another.
I've been calling the radius of the departure orbit 1 and the radius of the arrival orbit $r$ with $r>1$.
There are ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Reasons for using a bi-elliptic transfer for Soyuz-ISS rendezvous
According to the ESA movie Soyuz rendezvous and docking explained, Soyuz uses a bi-elliptic transfer to move from the phasing orbit to the ISS orbit.
Why is this more complex transfer used instead of ...
8
votes
1answer
476 views
To what extent could a single Triton flyby slow down a direct Hohmann transfer to Neptune for NOI?
I can't seem to find any good sources online for this, all I get are documents on how Nice model was used to compute Neptune's gravity capture of Triton via a binary dissociation, possibly because of ...
