Location
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
Start Date
4-1-2026 9:30 AM
End Date
4-1-2026 11:30 AM
Presentation Date
April 1, 2026; 9:30am-11:30am
Description
As stable points in the Earth-Moon system, the triangular libration points, L4 and L5, have many advantageous properties for space exploration. Ballistic trajectories at varying delta-Vs and impulse angles are computed and propagated from the libration points, and trajectories that arrive at the lunar surface are investigated. Preliminary conclusions are drawn about the accessibility of the lunar surface from the triangular libration points, and the implications for mission design are discussed. These trajectories present an alternative means of accessing the Moon, expanding the viability of the triangular points for missions and offering additional options for the use of cisular space.
Biography
Collin Gentry is a PhD candidate in Aerospace Engineering, studying under Dr. Pernicka. His research focus is on the dynamics of the triangular libration points, and the application of dynamical systems to improve the accessibility and mission viability of these points. Collin has attended S&T since starting his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2019, and he started his PhD in 2023 as a Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellow.
Collin has been very involved in the Missouri S&T Satellite Research Team, M-SAT. He has held many roles in the team throughout the years, and now serves as the Student Director, supporting the team’s satellite missions and research projects.
Meeting Name
2026 - Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Document Type
Poster
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
event
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 The Authors, All rights reserved
Included in
Ballistic Trajectories from Triangular Liberation Points to Moon
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
As stable points in the Earth-Moon system, the triangular libration points, L4 and L5, have many advantageous properties for space exploration. Ballistic trajectories at varying delta-Vs and impulse angles are computed and propagated from the libration points, and trajectories that arrive at the lunar surface are investigated. Preliminary conclusions are drawn about the accessibility of the lunar surface from the triangular libration points, and the implications for mission design are discussed. These trajectories present an alternative means of accessing the Moon, expanding the viability of the triangular points for missions and offering additional options for the use of cisular space.
Comments
Advisor: Henry J. Pernicka, pernicka@mst.edu