Potential Launch Opportunities for a SmallSat Mission around the Moon Injected during a Lunar Flyby En Route to Mars

Table 1

Comparison of the major trajectory design parameters between the EMD and EMMGA transfer options for the period from 2026 to 2045.

Transfer option	Earth departure date (month, day, year)	Mars arrival date (month, day, year)	(km/s)	(km/s)	(km/s)	(km/s)	C3 (km^2/s^2)	(km/s)	Transfer type
EMD	Nov. 06, 2026	Sep. 8, 2027	3.633	N/A	2.075	2.075	9.646	5.708	Type II-B
EMMGA	Oct. 25, 2026	Sep. 10, 2027	3.101	1.974	2.073	4.047	N/A	7.148	N/A
EMD	Nov. 20, 2028	Sep. 18, 2029	3.618	N/A	2.270	2.270	9.315	5.888	Type II-B
EMMGA	Nov. 29, 2028	Oct. 14, 2029	3.108	2.066	2.397	4.463	N/A	7.571	N/A
EMD	Feb. 23, 2031	Jan. 09, 2032	3.571	N/A	3.922	3.922	8.237	7.493	Type II-A
EMMGA	Jan. 08, 2031	Nov. 09, 2031	3.112	2.004	2.890	4.894	N/A	8.006	N/A
EMD	Apr. 20, 2033	Nov. 06, 2033	3.616	N/A	2.455	2.455	9.266	6.071	Type I-B
EMMGA	Apr. 10, 2033	Oct. 30, 2033	3.115	1.846	2.446	4.292	N/A	7.407	N/A
EMD	Apr. 21, 2035	Nov. 03, 2035	3.657	N/A	2.134	2.134	10.19	5.791	Type I-A
EMMGA	Jun. 18, 2035	Jan. 13, 2036	3.116	2.035	2.109	4.144	N/A	7.260	N/A
EMD	Oct. 21, 2041	Sep. 04, 2042	3.641	N/A	2.037	2.037	9.819	5.678	Type II-B
EMMGA	Oct. 09, 2041	Aug. 31, 2042	3.104	2.081	2.034	4.115	N/A	7.220	N/A
EMD	Nov. 15, 2043	Sep. 16, 2044	3.603	N/A	2.183	2.183	8.969	5.786	Type II-A
EMMGA	Oct. 19, 2043	Sep. 04, 2044	3.102	2.291	2.212	4.503	N/A	7.605	N/A
EMD	Dec. 03, 2045	Sep. 21, 2046	3.689	N/A	2.425	2.425	10.84	6.114	Type II-B
EMMGA	Nov. 25, 2045	Sep. 25, 2046	3.102	2.324	2.424	4.748	N/A	7.850	N/A