Minimum-Fuel Planar Earth-to-Mars Low-Thrust Trajectories Using Bang-Bang Control

Recent advance in electric propulsion systems have demonstrated that these engines can be used for for long-duration interplanetary voyages. Constant specific impulse engine described as a thrust-limited engine is an example of this type of engine, processing the ability to operate at a constant level of impulse. The determination of minimum-fuel, planar heliocentric Earth-to-Mars low-thrust trajectories of spacecraft using a constant specific impulse is discussed considering the first-order necessary conditions derived from Lawden’s primer vector theory. The minimum-fuel low-thrust Earth-to-Mars optimization problem is then solved in two-dimensional, heliocentric frame using both indirect and direct methods. In the indirect method, two-point-boundary-value problems are derived to solve boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations. In the direct method, a general-purpose optimal control software called GPOPS-II is adopted to solve these optimal control problems. Numerical examples using two different optimization methods are presented to demonstrate the characteristics of minimum-fuel planar low-thrust trajectories with on-off-on thrust sequences at three chosen flight times and available maximum powers. The results are useful for broad trajectory search in the preliminary phase of mission designs.

Symmetry Properties of Optimal Relative Orbit Trajectories

The determination of minimum-fuel or minimum-time relative orbit trajectories represents a classical topic in astrodynamics. This work illustrates some symmetry properties that hold for optimal relative paths and can considerably simplify their determination. The existence of symmetry properties is demonstrated in the presence of certain boundary conditions for the problems of interest, described by the linear Euler-Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations of relative motion. With regard to minimum-fuel paths, the primer vector theory predicts the existence of several powered phases, divided by coast arcs. In general, the optimal thrust sequence and duration depend on the time evolution of the switching function. In contrast, a minimum-time trajectory is composed of a single continuous-thrust phase. The first symmetry property concerns minimum-fuel and minimum-time orbit paths, both in two and in three dimensions. The second symmetry property regards minimum-fuel relative trajectories. Several examples illustrate the usefulness of these properties in determining minimum-time and minimum-fuel relative paths.