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16.346 Astrodynamics
Fall 2008

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Lecture 24

Basic Elements of the Three Body Problem

The Rotation Matrix

# 2.1

Let ix , iy , iz and i , i , i be two sets of orthogonal unit vectors.

i = l1 ix + m1 iy + n1 iz
i = l2 ix + m2 iy + n2 iz
i = l3 ix + m3 iy + n3 iz
where l1 , m1 , . . . , n3 are called direction cosines.
Any vector r can be expressed as r = x i x + y i y + z i z = i + i + i . Then

i x i

R = i y i
i z i

i x i
l1

i y i = m1
i z i
n1

i x i
i y i
i z i

is the rotation matrix and

y = R
z

or

l2
m2
n2

l3
m3
n3

x
= RT y

Since
RR T = R T R = I

so that

R T = R1

then R is an orthogonal matrix.

Kinematics in Rotating Coordinates

#2.5

Use an asterisk to distinguish a vector resolved along xed axes from the same vector
resolved along the rotating axes:
r = Rr

v = Rv

a = Ra

where r , v, a are the position, velocity, and acceleration vectors whose components are
understood to be projections along the moving axes.

dr
dr
dr

=R
+ r = R
+ r = Rv
v =
dt
dt
dt

where

0
T dR

=R

dt

T =

The angular velocity vector is identied as the angular velocity of the moving
coordinate system with respect to the xed system.

16.346 Astrodynamics

Lecture 24

For the acceleration vector

2
d2 r
dr d
d r
r + r
a =
=R
+ 2 +
dt2
dt2
dt
dt

2
dr d
d r
+
r + ( r) = Ra
+ 2
=R
dt2
dt
dt

The four terms which comprise the acceleration referred to rotating axes are called the
Observed, the Coriolis, the Euler, and the Centripetal accelerations, respectively.
(The observed velocity and acceleration vectors dr/dt and d2 r/dt2 will sometimes be
denoted by vrel and arel since they are quantities measured relative to the rotating axes.
The symbols v and a will be reserved for the total velocity and acceleration vectors which
include the eects of the moving axes relative to the xed axes.)
dr
+r
dt

d2 r
dr d

a = 2 + 2
+
r + ( r)
dt
dt
dt

v=

The Lagrange Solutions of the Three-Body Problem

#8.1

Circular, coplanar orbits with constant angular velocity = i i z

1. Two bodies of equal mass m1 = m2 = m separated by the distance r
m 2

Gmm
r
=
2
r2

2 =

2Gm
r3

2. Two bodies m1 at a distance and m2 at a distance r from the center

of rotation
Gm1 m2
m1 2 =
G(m1 + m2 )
r2
= 2 =
Gm1 m2
r3
m2 2 (r ) =
r2
3. Three bodies of equal mass m1 = m2 = m3 = m at the corners of an equi
lateral triangle with sides r
Gmm Gmm
3Gm
r
+
= 2 = 3
cos 30
m 2 sec 30 =
2
2
2
r
r
r
4. Three bodies m1 , m2 , m3 at the corners of an equilateral triangle with
sides r
m m
m m
m1 2 (r1 rcm ) + G 1 3 2 (r2 r1 ) + G 1 3 3 (r3 r1 ) = 0
r
r
m
m
m
m
m2 2 (r2 rcm ) + G 2 3 1 (r1 r2 ) + G 2 3 3 (r3 r2 ) = 0
r
r
m3 m1
m 3 m2
2
m3 (r3 rcm ) + G 3 (r1 r3 ) + G 3 (r2 r3 ) = 0
r
r

16.346 Astrodynamics

Lecture 24

Add the three equations to obtain

rcm =

m1 r1 + m2 r2 + m3 r3
m1 + m2 + m3

Let the origin of coordinates be at the center of mass. Then m1 r1 + m2 r2 + m3 r3 = 0 .

[ 2 r3 G(m2 + m3 )]r1 + Gm2 r2 + Gm3 r3 = 0
[ 2 r3 G(m1 + m3 )]r2 + Gm1 r1 + Gm3 r3 = 0
[ 2 r3 G(m1 + m2 )]r3 + Gm1 r1 + Gm2 r2 = 0
or

[ 2 r3 G(m1 + m2 + m3 )]r1 = 0
[ 2 r3 G(m1 + m2 + m3 )]r2 = 0
[ 2 r3 G(m1 + m2 + m3 )]r3 = 0

Hence

G(m1 + m2 + m3 )
r3
5. Three collinear masses m1 , m2 , m3 on axis with
2 =

r1 = r i

r2 = (r + ) i

r3 = (r + + ) i

The force balance equations are

Gm1 m2
+
2
Gm2 m1
m2 2 (r + )
2
Gm m
m3 2 (r + + ) 2 3 1 2
(1 + )
m1 2 r +

Gm1 m3
=0
2 (1 + )2
Gm2 m3
+
=0
2 2
Gm3 m2

=0
2 2

Replace last equation by sum of three equations m1 r +m2 (r +)+m3 (r ++) = 0.

Then
Gm1 m2
Gm1 m3
+
=0
m1 2 r +
2
2 (1 + )2
Gm2 m1
Gm2 m3
+
=0
m2 2 (r + )
2
2 2
m1 r + m2 (r + ) + m3 [r + (1 + )] = 0
Third equation
First equation
Second equation

=
=
=

16.346 Astrodynamics

m2 + (1 + )m3
m1 + m2 + m3
G(m1 + m2 + m3 ) m2 (1 + )2 + m3
2 =
3 (1 + )2
m2 + (1 + )m3
r =

(m1 + m2 )5 + (3m1 + 2m2 )4 + (3m1 + m2 )3

(m2 + 3m3 )2 (2m2 + 3m3 ) (m2 + m3 ) = 0

Lecture 24