Discovery of dynamical structures mapping chaotic transport pathways in the Earth–Moon CR3BP

For the Circular Restricted 3-Body Problem (CR3BP), the topologies present within a Poincaré map enable the extraction of useful information regarding periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic trajectory behavior. Aside from the prominent topologies that follow distinct concentric patterns around fixed points, indicative of the periodic and quasi-periodic motion that is often the central focus of CR3BP research, there are also many “dusty” regions on the Poincaré map that appear random without an apparent structure and are indicative of chaotic motion. This paper, for the first time in literature, identifies dynamical structures associated with chaotic transport residing in the “dusty” region of a Poincaré map for the Earth-Moon system employing a novel methodology called conditional behavior mapping. Using a Jacobi constant of 3.175 to allow access to the Moon via L 1 but preventing system exit via L 2 , 8 distinct deterministic pathways–a series of dynamical conveyor belts –for chaotic transport to the Moon are mapped traversing these dynamical structures. In addition, this paper identifies sub-structures present within the dynamical structures that create a definable pattern distinguishing whether a chaotic transfer will result in lunar collision or a circumlunar trajectory, and shows the existence of at least one unstable translunar periodic orbit associated with these structures. This paper advances ongoing multi-body astrodynamics research by allowing for the mapping of chaotic transport to the Moon. • Dynamical structures associated with chaotic transport reside in the “dusty” region of a Poincaré map. • Sub-structures exist indicating if chaotic transfers result in lunar collision or circumlunar trajectories. • At least one unstable translunar periodic orbit can be mapped to the dynamical structures for chaotic transport.