Trajectory Design for the ESA LISA Mission

Understand

The three Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) spacecraft are going to be placed in a triangular formation in an Earth-trailing or Earth-leading orbit.

• They will be launched together on a single rocket and transferred to that science orbit using Solar Electric Propulsion.
• Since the transfer $\Delta v$ depends on the chosen science orbit, both transfer and science orbit have been optimised together.
• For a thrust level of 90 mN, an allocation of 1092 m/s per spacecraft is sufficient for an all-year launch in 2034.