Propagating Trajectories from the Earth to the Moon

Propagating Trajectories from the Earth to the Moon | MATLAB Script

This document is the user’s manual for a MATLAB script called pprop_lunar that can be used to numerically integrate the geocentric orbital equations of motion of a trajectory from the Earth to the Moon. This scientific simulation begins at a user-defined epoch and geocentric state vector (position and velocity vectors) representing the point of trans-lunar injection (TLI) and ends at (1) closest approach to the Moon, (2) a user-defined Moon-centered (selenocentric) distance, or (3) at a userdefined final epoch

All internal calculations and the output provided by the pprop_lunar software are performed in the metric system. The geocentric equations of motion include the non-spherical gravity effects of the Earth and Moon, and (optionally) the point-mass gravity of the sun. The option to include the effect of solar radiation pressure during the trajectory propagation is also provided.