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Porkchop plot

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Representative porkchop plot for the 2005 Mars launch opportunity.

Porkchop plot is the name of the chart that depicts orbital trajectories. The chart is named for the the characteristically porkchop-shaped, computer-generated, contour plot that displays the combinations of launch date and arrival date characteristics of an interplanetary flight path for a given launch opportunity to Mars or any other planet.[1]

By examining the results of the porkchop plot, scientists can determine when launch opportunities exist to make use of special low-energy orbits needed to send payloads outwards using the lowest characteristic energy (C3), which allows for lower fuel usage and/or larger payloads.[2]

References

  1. ^ Goldman, Elliot. "Launch Window Optimization: The 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Mission", Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research. Accessed December 30, 2007.
  2. ^ "Porkchop" is the First Menu Item on a Trip to Mars, NASA. Accessed December 30, 2007.
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