Parking at Lagrange point at Phobos & Mars

[andrewbee]

If you have a craft parked at the Phobos-Mars Lagrange point, it's stable. I get that. But, what if you move, horizontally with respect to Mars? I assume you're no longer balanced out by Phobos' gravity, and will therefore fall towards Mars and end up in an elliptical orbit? If so, how far would you have to move for this to happen?

Lot of questions I know, but any input appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Travis_King]

Well, at the Lagrange point, you are still in an orbit, so movement will change the conditions of that orbit and any number of things could happen. It depends on what direction, and how much, you change your orbit. Also, you don't really put things on a point in space, you have them hover around the area or orbit the L-point just making sure the craft doesn't leave the lagrange point region.