Orbit injection control of low thrust low energy Moon return via STK

In this paper the low thrust control strategy for the low energy Moon return is designed and simulated in Satellite Tool Kit (STK). By using backward integration method, the orbit injection problem is transferred to an orbit circularize problem. An apolune-perilune control strategy is proposed to send the spacecraft into the nominal low energy return orbit with low thrust propulsion from lunar orbit. The control strategy is tested and verified via STK which is more meaningful than the simplified dynamic model.