Scientists test 24 million routes and discover the most economical way to reach the moon using less fuel

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 24/05/2026 at 22:21

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Study published in the journal Astrodynamics evaluated millions of trajectories between Earth and the moon and identified a route that saves fuel by using the L1 point as a gravitational stop, although the route is slower and more suitable for cargo.

58.80 meters per second can decide how much fuel a mission saves on the way to the moon. A study published in the journal Astrodynamics evaluated tens of millions of trajectories and found an efficient, though slow, route between Earth’s orbit and the lunar orbit.

Route to the moon trades speed for economy

The proposal does not aim to repeat fast trips in the style of Apollo or Artemis. The modeled route takes 31.9 days because the spacecraft approaches the moon and enters a Lyapunov orbit around the Earth-Moon L1 point.

This point is in a region of gravitational equilibrium between the two bodies. In the studied scenario, it functions as an intermediate stop before the final transfer to a 100-kilometer lunar orbit.

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How mathematics reduced millions of possibilities

The team used the theory of functional connections to incorporate mission constraints directly into the equations. With this, they managed to reduce the computational cost of the search and analyze a larger volume of alternatives.

Previous works cited had simulated about 280,000 trajectories. In this research, only the first stage examined 24 million possibilities, from Earth’s orbit to the stable variety leading to the L1 region.

The best initial cost reported was 3,342.96 meters per second, after a transfer of 3.69 days to the stable gravitational path. The complete transfer, passing through L1 and reaching the moon, cost 3,991.60 meters per second.

The most unexpected result appeared at the entry point of the gravitational route. Instead of using the branch closest to Earth, the most economical solution approached the moon and entered from the opposite side.

Vitor Martins de Oliveira, postdoctoral researcher at the University of São Paulo and co-author, said that quick methods allow for searching non-trivial solutions, without assuming that the path closest to Earth is always the easiest.

Slow path may favor cargo and communication

For astronauts, a journey of almost 32 days would require more food, water, life support, and attention to radiation. For cargo, however, time usually weighs less than mass, cost, and fuel.

Therefore, the route may make more sense for equipment, supplies, or robotic infrastructure. With a permanent presence in lunar space, economical routes can be useful for refueling.

The passage through L1 can also improve communication. Oliveira mentioned that Artemis 2 lost contact when it was behind the moon, while the proposed orbit could maintain uninterrupted communication.

The authors acknowledge limitations. The simulations considered Earth and the moon, but not the Sun or other bodies. The final route of a real mission would depend on the launch date, orbital geometry, and maintenance at L1.

Study available in Astrodynamics.

Scientists test 24 million routes and discover the most economical way to reach the moon using less fuel

Study published in the journal Astrodynamics evaluated millions of trajectories between Earth and the moon and identified a route that saves fuel by using the L1 point as a gravitational stop, although the route is slower and more suitable for cargo.

Route to the moon trades speed for economy

How mathematics reduced millions of possibilities

Slow path may favor cargo and communication

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Scientists test 24 million routes and discover the most economical way to reach the moon using less fuel

Study published in the journal Astrodynamics evaluated millions of trajectories between Earth and the moon and identified a route that saves fuel by using the L1 point as a gravitational stop, although the route is slower and more suitable for cargo.

Route to the moon trades speed for economy

How mathematics reduced millions of possibilities

Slow path may favor cargo and communication

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