Energy-saving capture at mars via backward-stable orbits

Energy-saving capture at mars via backward-stable orbits is investigated in a study. The study focuses on exploiting the backward-stable orbits, such as -1-stable orbits for powered capture at Mars. The capture occurs at the lowest periareion of the backward-stable orbits and transits the spacecraft from the interplanetary trajectory to the capture trajectory. It is demonstrated that the periapsis states of the backward-stable orbits with respect to Mars will change in each circle, which might provide a better periareion state than the initial state to reduce the capture cost, and that apture happens within the sphere of influence (SOI) of Mars.