Rapid Response Missions to Interstellar Objects Using Lyapunov Wait-in-Orbit Constellations

The discovery of 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov triggered a surge of interest in the exploration of interstellar objects (ISOs). This paper proposes a conceptual framework for rapid response missions to these objects by deploying a constellation of satellites in Lagrange point orbits, where they loiter until optimal departure conditions for interception are met. The spacecraft intercept the ISOs via three different strategies: a purely ballistic transfer, a transfer utilizing a powered Earth flyby, and one executing a deep space maneuver after departing the Lagrange point orbit via an invariant manifold. We evaluate whether deploying a fleet of satellites in Lagrange point orbits and employing one of these three strategies reduces mission duration while optimizing costs compared to the Lambert transfer approach departing from the Lagrange points.