The Lunar Prospector mission: Results of trajectory design, quasi-frozen orbits, extended mission targeting, and lunar topography and potential models

Lunar Prospector was selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as one of the first discovery missions to conduct solar system exploration science investigations. The mission was NASA's first lunar voyage to investigate key science objectives since Apollo and was launched in January 1998, In keeping with discovery program requirements to reduce total mission cost and utilize new technology, Lunar Prospector's mission design and control focused proven trajectory analysis tools along with the latest lunar topology and gravity data available. As part of this effort, the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Ames Research Center became partners in the Lunar Prospector navigation team to provide the trajectory analysis and orbit determination support. This paper details the mission design, maneuver planning, and the orbit determination results of the Lunar Prospector nominal and extended mission, as well as the final impact scenario. It provides an understanding of the quasi-frozen orbit design of the LP mission, the optimization process of lunar orbit targets, the orbit determination process of the nominal and extended mission, the role that the selected lunar potential models play, and the extent to which mission goals were met Mapping orbit maintenance maneuver design along with results of the actual maneuvers to maintain the orbital requirements are presented.