Gravitational Multibody Dynamics: A Quick-start Guide - Lesson 3: Periodic Motion

Instructions:
- Add this to your calendar for a convenient 15-minute reminder.
- Join Flight Mechanics Community of Practice (for NASA users - linked below)
- Enjoy!

Abstract:
This session (lesson 3 out of 5 part series) focuses on periodic orbits in the CR3BP and why they are fundamental organizing structures for mission design. It covers periodic orbits as fixed points of a flow map, families such as Lyapunov, halo, axial, vertical, resonant, and distant retrograde orbits, and introduces correction methods using the state transition matrix, Newton iteration, phase constraints, and symmetry-based targeting.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Davide Guzzetti is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University and a Samuel Ginn Faculty Achievement Fellow. His work centers on astrodynamics and space mission design, including spacecraft trajectory design in multi-body and cislunar environments, cislunar domain awareness, spatial computing for astrodynamics, and small orbital debris remediation. He has received a NASA Early Career Faculty Award and recognition as a NASA NIAC Fellow, along with Auburn University recognitions for research and mentorship. At Auburn, he teaches space mission design and orbital mechanics, and contributed to Designing the Moonshot: Introduction to Multi-Body Dynamics, a massive open online course on multi-body gravitational dynamics. He is a current member of the American Astronautical Society Space Flight Mechanics Committee. Dr. Guzzetti earned his Ph.D. in Astrodynamics from Purdue University, M.S. degrees in Space Engineering from Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.