Jones/Hernandez/Jesick VEM triple cyclers (family seed entry)

jones-2017-vem-triple-family · source: literature · validation: V0

Signature

Bodies: V-E-M
Sequence (canonical): V-E-M
Sense: n/a
Period: 4.270 yr (2 × E-M synodic)
Jones et al. 2017 reports "two synodic period Earth-Mars-Venus triple cyclers" (= 2 x 2.135 yr ≈ 4.27 yr, anchored on the E-M synodic). Spec.md §3 references a different VEM beat period: "the natural beat is ≈ 6.4 yr (3 x E-M ≈ 4 x E-V)". The 6.4-yr beat is a NECESSARY condition for closure but not the only possible period; Jones et al. 2017 find 2-synodic E-M solutions that incorporate Venus flybys.
Priority date: 2017-08-20

V∞ at encounters

V (#1): — (not published)
Family-level entry — individual member V_inf values are in the full Jones 2017 paper which is not freely accessible online (NTRS metadata-only).
E (#2): — (not published)
Abstract reports "numerous solutions are identified with average transit leg excess speed below 5 km/sec, independent of encounter epoch." That is an *average* — individual encounter V_inf values not in the abstract.
M (#3): — (not published)
Same: average transit leg V_inf below 5 km/s per the abstract; individual values TBD.

Orbit elements (heliocentric)

Semi-major axis a: — AU
Eccentricity e: —
Perihelion: — AU
Aphelion: — AU
Inclination: —°

Triple cyclers traverse a wider Tisserand graph region; no single (a, e) characterises the family. Individual members would have their own elements.

Primary citation

Jones, D. R. et al. (2017). Low Excess Speed Triple Cyclers of Venus, Earth, and Mars. AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Stevenson WA, AAS Paper 17-577 (JPL-CL#17-3322).

URL: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20190028464

"hdl:2014/46418" is the JPL Open Repository handle for the report. The paper is the first published account of ballistic VEM triple cyclers. The Longuski group has subsequent related work but this is the priority publication.

Notes

REVIEW CONFIRMATION (2026-05-31): A verification check of AAS Paper 17-577 confirms Longuski is NOT an author; the authors are exclusively Jones, Hernandez, and Jesick (all JPL). spec.md §16.4 has been patched in the corresponding errata pass. INTERPRETATION NOTE (2026-05-31): the abstract's "two synodic period" cycler family is preserved as this entry at period.years = 4.27. A sibling entry `vem-emeeve-3syn` separately captures the 6.4-yr (3 × E-M synodic = VEM beat) archetype that spec.md §3 also discusses. The two are different families; both are valid Jones 2017 readings. Per the abstract: "Ballistic cycler trajectories which repeatedly encounter Earth and Mars may be invaluable to a future transportation architecture ferrying humans to and from Mars. Such trajectories which also involve at least one flyby of Venus are computed here for the first time." Web search snippet: "The paper discovered thousands of previously undocumented two synodic period Earth-Mars-Venus triple cyclers, with many solutions identified having average transit leg excess speed below 5 km/sec, independent of encounter epoch." This entry is INTENTIONALLY a family/placeholder. As individual members are tabulated (from the full Jones 2017 paper or follow-up work) they should be added as separate entries with their own canonical signatures. Until then, M7 novelty matching against this entry should be treated as "candidate-novel if no exact match, but flagged for human review against the Jones 2017 paper" rather than auto-tagging as known. Caveat about the spec §16.4's mention of "Longuski et al. (2017) Low Excess Speed Triple Cyclers": the actual primary authors are Jones, Hernandez, Jesick (all JPL), not Longuski. Longuski is the Purdue advisor of multiple cited co-authors (McConaghy, Landau, Yam, Chen, ...) but is not a Jones 2017 author. The spec's attribution should be corrected in a future revision.

Source quotes (per-field provenance)

Every numerical value in this entry traces to a verbatim or paraphrased quote from a cited source.

period.k: Jones et al. 2017 abstract: "two synodic period Earth-Mars-Venus triple cyclers" (multiple search snippets, NTRS 20190028464).
vinf_kms_at_encounters[1].vinf_kms: Jones et al. 2017 abstract: "numerous solutions are identified with average transit leg excess speed below 5 km/sec, independent of encounter epoch." (NB: this is an average across all members of the family, not a single cycler's V_inf.)