Abstract: The optimal design of point return orbit was studied for human lunar polar exploration mission. According to the characteristics of lunar polar orbit (LPO), three return orbit maneuver schemes were proposed. Considering threeimpulse maneuver scheme, a serial orbit solution strategy from initial calculation to accurate calculation was adopted to design point return orbit. The initial orbit was obtained by establishing a novel model with threesegment two-body patched orbits based on pseudoperilune parameters to decouple the threeimpulse maneuver with the lunar escape. Two-segment orbits were matched to get precise point return orbit by using numerical continuation theory and the suggested backward and forward orbital integral model with high precision perturbation. The effectiveness and reliability of the approach proposed were demonstrated by simulation test. According to the simulation results by the method, the orbit characteristics of point return orbit were analyzed. The research conclusions can provide reference for the design of point return orbit scheme in human lunar polar exploration missions in the future.

Key words: lunar polar, human lunar landing, point return, orbit design, orbit characteristic