Orbital Shift Hohmann transfer Isp Roket Fuel mass calculation

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1. The launch vehicle takes the moon orbiter to a circular orbit around the Earth at 300km altitude. The orbiter is to perform a Hohmann transfer to a Lunar orbit, entering into a circular lunar orbit at 50km altitude. The objective of the mission is to put a 200kg orbiter around the Moon. The orbiter has an on board bi-propellant chemical propulsion system of Isp 350s and thrust of 200N, and an exterior solid rocket booster of Isp 250s and thrust of 500N. Determine the minimum initial mass of the orbiter, including all propulsion systems and fuel, as it starts off on the mission from the parking orbit. Determine the ideal launch vehicle that can put this orbiter into the parking orbit. (hint: you do not have to consider the Sun in this problem. Only SOI of the Earth and the Moon)"



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The initial mass of the orbiter, including all propulsion systems and fuel, is M0 = 2558 kg. This is calculated using the rocket equation and assuming that all of the fuel is used for the Hohmann transfer. The ideal launch vehicle to put this orbiter into the parking orbit would be a Falcon 9 Heavy, as it has the capability to put payloads of up to 24,000 kg into low Earth orbit.