FIELD: cosmonautics.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to space engineering and specifically to methods of returning a spacecraft (SC) from a circumlunar orbit to the Earth. Control pulse ΔV1 is applied to control SC at time t1 to SC in circumlunar orbit. Moment in time t1 is determined taking into account the compliance of the latitude argument u of SC to the inequality ϕ-90°<u<ϕ, where ϕ is the angle between the normal to the plane of the circumlunar orbit and the Moon-Earth line. After application ΔV1, SC transfers to intermediate orbit. During the SC movement along the formed intermediate orbit, the orbit plane, due to the Earth's gravitational field, is turned to a position which satisfies the condition of flight to the Earth in a given time T when performing a transverse pulse ΔV2. After that, at time t2, a transversal control pulse ΔV2 is applied to transfer SC to the trajectory of return to the Earth.
EFFECT: reduced costs of total characteristic velocity for SC departure from circumlunar orbit to the Earth, as well as increase of launch windows for departure to the Earth with optimum costs of characteristic velocity.
1 cl, 4 dwg
