Orbital Blocking Game Near Earth-Moon L1 Libration Point

This paper explores the blocking capabilities of a spacecraft deployed near Earth-Moon L1 libration point against another spacecraft attempting lunar gravity assist,based on theΔV required for interception.The study demonstrates that a pursuer at L1 libration point can effectively block low-energy evaders with minimalΔV expenditure,creating a blockade against their use of gravity assists.However,blocking against high-energy evaders is relatively weaker.Pursuers on Lyapunov orbits can execute blockades that L1 pursuers cannot,albeit with lower mission-capable rates.The paper discusses mission-capable rates for different Lyapunov orbits and evader energies,revealing that each Lyapunov orbit has its unique optimal blocking energy,decreasing as the Lyapunov orbit size expands.In addition,the paper proposes a strategy for evaders to bypass blockades by sacrificing a portion of theirΔV and verifies it numerically.The analysis covers the cost and benefits of the L1 libration point-related blockade,the importance of the mission-capable rate,and the possibility of lunar-orbit blocking.These findings provide insights for future research on orbital games in the Earth-Moon system and orbital blockade.