01-16-2015, 06:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-16-2015, 06:46 PM by stevebowers.)
The stability of an orbit around our own moon is mostly dependent on the distribution of mass inside the moon itself; a number of anomalous mass concentrations are present, making low orbits unstable. I would expect higher orbits to be a little more stable.
If there are any mascons on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn I haven't heard of them - but a reasonably high orbit, more than 1000km say, should be okay for a while. General opinion seems to be that any satelite of these moons would need to perform station keeping over time; see
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/lofiv...t2902.html
If there are any mascons on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn I haven't heard of them - but a reasonably high orbit, more than 1000km say, should be okay for a while. General opinion seems to be that any satelite of these moons would need to perform station keeping over time; see
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/lofiv...t2902.html