Rapid Interplanetary round Trips at Moderate Energy

Abstract

We define a new class of "rapid round trip" interplanetary missions for which the principal characteristic is a total mission duration that is 1 or more years shorter than the traditional round trip using Hohmann transfers. Round trip missions using Hohmann transfers to near-Earth asteroids or other nearby interplanetary objects may require many years. (For example, 8 years for a round trip to a Near-Earth Asteroid at 1.1 AU.) Consequently, rapid round trips are the only practical means for human space travel to these objects.