The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #170768   Message #4133828
Posted By: Steve Shaw
25-Jan-22 - 05:40 PM
Thread Name: BS: SPACE - James Webb Telescope LAUNCH-Dec 2021
Subject: RE: BS: SPACE - James Webb Telescope LAUNCH
Aha, it's a "halo orbit" around L2. From wiki:

"Since L2 is just an equilibrium point with no gravitational pull, a halo orbit is not an orbit in the usual sense: the spacecraft is actually in orbit around the Sun, and the halo orbit can be thought of as controlled drifting to remain in the vicinity of the L2 point."

I think I get it (slightly more!)