EMEEVE VEM Triple Cycler (3-synodic beat archetype — UNREALIZED in AAS 17-577)

vem-emeeve-3syn · source: literature · validation: V0

Signature

Bodies: E-M-E-E-V-E
Primary: Sun (default — heliocentric)
Sequence (canonical): E-M-E-E-V-E
Sense: outbound
Orbit class: Cycler
strict cycler (infinite returns)
Cycler class: single-ellipse
Trajectory regime: ballistic
Maintenance ΔV band: unclassified
Model assumption: analytic-ephemeris
Mid-fidelity: real eccentricity / inclination retained; not full N-body.
Period: 6.410 yr (3 × E-M synodic)
3 × E-M synodic = 6.405 yr. This exactly matches the 4 × E-V synodic beat (4 × 1.599 = 6.396 yr) and equals the VEM T_syn (≈ 6.4 yr) that AAS 17-577 p.3 defines. CONFLICT (recorded 2026-06-05): as a *repeat period* this 6.4-yr (one-synodic) family produced NO feasible cyclers in Jones et al. 2017 (p.8: "No feasible solutions were found (of any family) with a repeat period of one synodic period (6.4 years)."). The 6.4-yr value is a real beat period (T_syn) but is NOT a realized repeat period in this source. Any *realized* EMEEVE cycler in the paper repeats at 12.8 yr (two T_syn), not 6.4 yr. EMEEVE itself IS a listed outbound itinerary family (Table 1, p.3). Sibling of `jones-2017-vem-triple-family` (the 12.8-yr branch). See data_gaps[period.feasibility].
Priority date: 2017-08-20

V∞ at encounters

E (encounter 1): — (not published)
Targeted below 5.0 km/s per the Jones 2017 constraint for near-Hohmann transit legs.
M (encounter 2): — (not published)
Targeted below 5.0 km/s.

Orbit elements (heliocentric)

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

Orbit view 2.5D ecliptic projection

spacecraft: analytic-ephemeris (real e/i retained) planets: J2000 osculating ellipse (Standish & Williams Table 1) clock: idealized phase clock (no epoch) orientation: coplanar-idealized (no Ω/ω published — in-plane ellipse) encounters: time-true on the idealized phase clock (real mean motions, phase chosen so the geometry's encounters occur)

— — planet orbit (true J2000 ellipse) ——— cycler ellipse

Definition status

incomplete — core fields missing or known-unknowns tracked below

Known-unknowns (1)

Values we expect to exist but have not yet filled (distinct from "not applicable"). Tracked per upstream docs/spec.md §16.6.4.

period.feasibility [conflict]
CONFLICT (2026-06-05): this row's premise — a realized one-synodic (6.4-yr) EMEEVE cycler — is contradicted by the primary source. Jones et al. 2017 (AAS 17-577, NTRS 20190028464) p.8: "No feasible solutions were found (of any family) with a repeat period of one synodic period (6.4 years).... In contrast, thousands of feasible two-synodic period cyclers were obtained." The 6.4-yr value is the VEM synodic T_syn (a real beat period) but is NOT a realized repeat period in this paper. period.years = 6.41 is therefore kept as the beat-period archetype value, NOT as an attested cycler repeat period. Resolution would require either (a) a different source that exhibits a closed 6.4-yr EMEEVE cycler, or (b) demoting this row to a pure beat-period reference. Recorded honestly rather than deleting the row.

source: Jones, Hernandez, Jesick 2017 (AAS 17-577) p.8 Broad Search Results

Primary citation

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

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

Notes

Captures the 6.4-year (3-synodic E-M = 4-synodic E-V = VEM beat) geometry referenced in spec.md §3. The EMEEVE sequence specifically uses Venus's large-bend gravity assist (~60° at V∞=7) to correct the phase shift induced by the Mars flyby. PREMISE-INVALIDATION NOTICE (2026-06-05): This row was created to capture a *realized 6.4-yr (one-synodic) EMEEVE cycler*. The AAS 17-577 full-paper mining (docs/notes/2026-06-05-jones-aas17-577-vem-mining.md) shows the paper found NO feasible one-synodic (6.4-yr) cyclers of any family. Verbatim (p.8): "No feasible solutions were found (of any family) with a repeat period of one synodic period (6.4 years).... In contrast, thousands of feasible two-synodic period cyclers were obtained." So the 6.4-yr EMEEVE cycler this row describes is UNREALIZED in this source. The row is retained (not deleted) to honestly record the conflict: EMEEVE IS a valid outbound itinerary family (Table 1, p.3), and the 6.4-yr T_syn beat is real, but a *closed cycler at that repeat period* was not discovered. Realized EMEEVE cyclers in this paper repeat at 12.8 yr. M7 novelty matching against this row should treat it as an unrealized-archetype placeholder, not an attested cycler. The two attested members are `jones-2017-vem-emevve-outbound` (Table 2) and `jones-2017-vem-meevem-inbound` (Table 3).

Source quotes (per-field provenance)

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

period.years: Jones et al. 2017 (NTRS 20190028464) p.3: "The time it takes to repeat a given angular alignment of the three planets (the synodic period T_syn) is approximately 6.4 years. This is about three Earth- Mars synodic periods." (NB: 6.4 yr is the T_syn beat, NOT a realized one-synodic repeat period — see data_gaps[period.feasibility].)
period.feasibility: Jones et al. 2017 (AAS 17-577) p.8: "No feasible solutions were found (of any family) with a repeat period of one synodic period (6.4 years). ... In contrast, thousands of feasible two-synodic period cyclers were obtained."