ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Near-rectilinear halo orbit

Okay kiddo, remember how the Earth orbits around the Sun? Well, sometimes we send spaceships to go explore other things in space, like the Moon or planets. But in order to go there, we need to use a special type of path called an orbit.

Now, there's a really cool type of orbit that NASA likes to use called a near-rectilinear halo orbit. It's a big name, but it basically means that the spaceship moves in a path that's kind of like a horseshoe, but it's not perfectly straight.

Imagine that you're riding a bike and you're trying to go really fast, but you can't just go in a straight line because of hills and other obstacles in your way. Instead, you have to weave around them to get where you want to go. This is kind of like what a near-rectilinear halo orbit is.

So why do we use this type of orbit? Well, it's really good for exploring other planets and moons because it helps the spaceship use less fuel and stay in a stable path. Plus, it keeps the spaceship close enough to the moon or planet that we can get some really good pictures and data, but far enough away that the gravity doesn't mess things up.

So, long story short, a near-rectilinear halo orbit is a type of path for spaceships to explore other things in space that helps conserve fuel and stay in a stable orbit. Pretty cool, huh?