On solving the problems of optimization of trajectories of many-revolution orbit transfers of spacecraft

The problem of optimal control over many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers between circular coplanar orbits of satellites is considered. The spacecraft flight is controlled by a thrust vector of a jet engine with restricted thrust (JERT). The mass expenditure is minimized at a limited time of flight. The optimal control problem is solved based on the maximum principle. The boundary value problem of the maximum principle is solved numerically using the shooting method. A modified computation scheme of the shooting method is suggested (multi-point shooting), as well as a method (correlated with the scheme) of choosing the initial approximation with the use of a solution to the optimization problem in the impulse formulation. The scheme and method allow one to construct many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers.     

Optimization of Flights between the Orbits of Artificial Satellites of Two Planets Using a Combination of High and Low Thrusts

The problem of optimization of the trajectory of an interplanetary flight of a multistaged spacecraft using jet engines with high and low thrust is considered. The issues concerning the problem of choosing the main design parameters of a multistage spacecraft are touched upon. A mathematical model of start-to-finish optimization of all segments of the interplanetary flight trajectory is proposed. Using this model the specific features of flights to the orbits of satellites of Jupiter and Mars are studied.     

One optimization problem for trajectories of spacecraft rendezvous mission to a group of asteroids

The optimization problem is considered for the trajectory of a spacecraft mission to a group of asteroids. The ratio of the final spacecraft mass to the flight time is maximized. The spacecraft is controlled by changing the value and direction of the jet engine thrust (small thrust). The motion of the Earth, asteroids, and the spacecraft proceeds in the central Newtonian gravitational field of the Sun. The Earth and asteroids are considered as point objects moving in preset elliptical orbits. The spacecraft departure from the Earth is considered in the context of the method of a point-like sphere of action, and the excess of hyperbolic velocity is limited. It is required sequentially to have a rendezvous with asteroids from four various groups, one from each group; it is necessary to be on the first three asteroids for no less than 90 days. The trajectory is finished by arrival at the last asteroid. Constraints on the time of departure from the Earth, flight duration, and final mass are taken into account in this problem.     

Optimization of the Flight of a Spacecraft with a Solar Sail from the Earth to Mars with a Perturbation Maneuver near Venus

The trajectories of the fastest flight of a spacecraft (SC) with a solar sail from the Earth's sphere of activity to the Martian sphere of activity including the section of a perturbation maneuver near Venus are investigated. The planetary spheres of activity are assumed to be point-like; i.e., the maneuver section and the initial and final positions of the SC coincide with the corresponding positions of the planets. The initial velocity of the SC is assumed to be equal to the Earth's velocity, so that no leveling of the velocities of the SC and Mars in the final point of the flight is required. The perturbation maneuver is considered as a jump of the heliocentric velocity of the SC at the point of its contact with Venus, which does not change the magnitude of its Venus-centric velocity. The orbits of planets are assumed to be circular and coplanar; the SC trajectory lies at the plane of these orbits. The sail is planar with a specularly reflecting surface. The trajectories of optimum flights are determined as a result of solving the boundary value problem of the Pontryagin maximum principle. The families of solutions to this problem depending on the initial angular positions of Venus and Mars are constructed by the method of continuation over a parameter.     

Method of continuation for optimization of interplanetary low-thrust trajectories

The problem of local optimization of interplanetary low-thrust trajectories is considered with the use of the maximum principle and continuation numerical methods. Two types of problems are analyzed: problems with limited power and problems with limited thrust. The latter problem is generalized by introducing the dependence of thrust and specific impulse on available electric power. In order to reduce the problem of optimal control to a boundary value problem, the Pontryagin maximum principle is used, and then, using the continuation method, this boundary value problem is reduced to the Cauchy problem. Variants of the continuation method for optimizing low-thrust trajectories are presented in the paper, including a new method of continuation for the limited thrust problem, which does not require any choice of the initial approximation for boundary values of conjugate variables.     

The use of solutions to problems of spacecraft trajectory optimization in impulse formulation when solving the problems of optimal control of trajectories of a spacecraft with limited thrust engine: I

In this first part of our paper, it is suggested to use solutions to boundary value problems in the optimization problems (in impulse formulation) for spacecraft trajectories in order to obtain the initial approximation, when boundary value problems of the maximum principle are solved numerically by the shooting method. The technique suggested is applied to the problems of optimal control over motion of the center of mass of a spacecraft controlled by the thrust vector of jet engine with limited thrust in an arbitrary gravitational field in a vacuum. The method is based on a modified (in comparison to the classic scheme) shooting method computation together with the method of continuation along a parameter (maximum reactive acceleration, initial thrust-to-weight ratio, or any other parameter equivalent to them). This technique allows one to obtain the initial approximation with a high precision, and it is applicable to a wide range of optimal control problems solved using the maximum principle, if the impulse formulation makes sense for these problems.     

有限推力椭圆轨道近距离拦截方法

针对椭圆轨道近距离飞行器确定时间最小能量拦截问题,研究了有限推力一次机动作     

Optimal flights to near-Earth asteroid

The spacecraft flights to the Near-Earth asteroid in order to give an impact influence on the asteroid, correct its orbit and prevent the asteroid’s collision with the Earth are analyzed.In the first part, the impulse flights are analyzed in the Lambert approach. There are determined the optimal trajectories maximizing the asteroid deviation from the Earth.In the second part, the flights with the chemical and electric-jet engines are analyzed. The high thrust is used to launch the spacecraft from the geocentric orbit, and the low thrust is applied for the heliocentric motion. On the base of optimal impulse transfer, the optimal low thrust trajectories are determined using Pontryagin maximum principle.The numerical results are given for the flight to the asteroid Toutatis. Parameters of the spacecraft impact on the asteroid are determined. The asteroid deviation from the Earth caused by the spacecraft influence is presented.     

Inter-orbital low-thrust transfers in an arbitrary field of forces

Low-thrust transfers between preset orbits are considered in the presence of perturbations of different origin. A simple method of finding the transfer trajectory is suggested, based on linearization of motion near reference orbits. The required accuracy of calculations is achieved by way of increasing the number of reference orbits. The method can also be used in the case of a large number of revolutions around the attracting center: no averaging of motion is required in this case. The suggested method is applicable as well, when the final orbit is specified partially and when there are constraints on the thrust direction. The optimal solution to the linearized problem is not optimal for the original problem; closeness of solutions to these two problems is estimated using a numerical example. Capabilities of the method are also illustrated by examples.     

应用非线性规划求解异面最优轨道转移问题

研究了一种应用非线性规化求解有限推力作用下异面最优轨道转移问题的方法。采用改进春分点根素形式的高斯行星方程，从庞德里亚金极小值原理出发，将有限推力作用下异面最优轨道转移问题转化为两点边值问题；在考虑边界条件、横截条件及开关函数的前提下，将两点边值问题转化为针对协状态初值等的参数优化问题；最后应用非线性规划方法求解形成的参数优化问题。本方法特点是能得到开关函数从而得到最优发动机开关机逻辑。文章最后通过一个仿真计算，演示了完整的求解过程，验证了方法的有效性。     

Three-dimensional closed-form costate solutions in optimal coast

The costate along a coast arc on an optimal space trajectory contains critically important information about the trajectory. For free-time fuel-optimal flight, the costate at the start of the coast determines completely the optimal length of the coast. Yet most closed-form solutions for costate under various coordinate systems available in the literature are only for two-dimensional flight. In this paper complete three-dimensional closed-form costate solutions in flight-path coordinate system are derived for all conic orbits. These results, as an example of their practical usefulness, enable the optimal duration of any non-circular Keplerian coast arc to be accurately determined from the appropriate root of a polynomial of 5th degree in true anomaly, and a 4th degree polynomial for circular orbits. The value of the development in the paper is demonstrated by solving two relatively difficult multi-finite-burn orbital transfer problems.     

About one problem of trajectory optimization

The optimization problem for trajectories of spacecraft flight from the Earth to an asteroid is considered in this paper. The flight is realized in the central Newtonian gravitational field of the Sun with a possibility of gravitational maneuvers near planets. Perturbation maneuvers are taken into account using the method of point area of action with a limitation on the flyby altitude. The spacecraft is controlled by changing the value and direction of the engine thrust. The problem is solved taking into account constraints on the launch time, flight duration, and minimum distance to the Sun.     

从地球到日-火系平动点轨道的转移

平动点轨道特殊的空间位置及动力学特征,使其在深空探测中具有重要的应用。以日-火系平动点轨道(Lissajous与Halo轨道)任务为目标,结合平动点轨道的不变流形理论,研究了小推力转移问题。首先给出了圆型限制性三体动力学模型下平动点附近不变流形(稳定和不稳定流形)高阶分析解以及相应的计算实例。接着以流形分析解为基础,建立了初始小推力轨道优化模型,并利用改进的协作进化算法求解初始小推力轨道。最后将初始轨道离散,采用多点打靶法将最优控制问题转化为参数优化问题,并用序列二次规划方法(SQP)求解。仿真结果证明轨道设计方法的有效性。     

Optimization of Multi-Orbit Transfers between Noncoplanar Elliptic Orbits

Using the maximum principle formalism, the problem of optimizing interorbital transfer between two noncoplanar elliptic orbits is reduced to solution of a boundary value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations. In order to solve the resulting boundary value problem numerically, the numerical homotopic method or modified Newton's method is used. When solving the boundary value problem, the right-hand sides of differential equations of motion are averaged numerically. Efficient software is developed, and a large number of optimal trajectories are calculated using it. As a result of analysis of these numerical data, new high-quality results are obtained. Specifically, a bifurcation of optimal solutions is found, the existence of critical inclination is demonstrated, and a partial classification of the structure of optimal control is performed.     

The Aster project: Flight to a near-Earth asteroid

The information on the project being developed in Brazil for a flight to binary or triple near-Earth asteroid is presented. The project plans to launch a spacecraft into an orbit around the asteroid and to study the asteroid and its satellite within six months. Main attention is concentrated on the analysis of trajectories of flight to asteroids with both impulsive and low thrust in the period 2013-2020. For comparison, the characteristics of flights to the (45) Eugenia triple asteroid of the Main Belt are also given.     

最优双冲量交会问题的数学建模与数值求解

基于普适变量法研究了两个共面轨道的最优双冲量交会问题。具体地,基于求解Lambert问题的普适变量法,在将给定时间段划分初始飘移阶段、轨 道转移阶段与终端停泊阶段的前提下,对两圆轨道及两拱线相同的椭圆轨道的最优双冲量交 会问题分别进行了优化数学建模,并利用数学软件Lingo进行了数值求解。数值结果表明,划分给定时间段可以得到更优解。
     

Optimization of low-thrust orbit transfers with constraints

Approximate numerical methods of optimization are presented for multi-orbit noncoplanar orbit transfers of low-thrust spacecraft. The linear representation of derivatives of boundary parameters is used in the vicinity of a reference trajectory with its discretization into small segments. For each segment a set of pseudo-impulses is introduced, representing possible directions of the thrust vector. In order to solve essentially nonlinear problems, the iterative process of upgrading the reference trajectory is used. At each iteration the linear programming problem of high dimensionality is solved, its boundary conditions being represented in the form of a linear matrix equation. Interval constraints are considered in the form of blocking the propulsion system operation on shadow segments of the orbit, as well as cycling constraints, and constraints on total duration of maneuvers at certain trajectory segments. The results of comparison with solutions obtained by other methods are presented together with examples illustrating the convergence of iterative processes. Optimizations of the trajectories for launching geosynchronous satellites to their orbits and of the trajectories of a noncoplanar transfer from low to high-elliptic Molniya orbit are considered under these constraints.     

变推力月球软着陆制导优化研究

提出了一种新的使用变推力火箭发动机实现月球定点软着陆制导的优化方法.在软着陆加速度抛物线(即二次函数)变化的条件下,通过一组代数方程连接初始条件和终端条件,避免了求解两点边值问题的迭代计算.给出了瞬时位置速度状态参数以及需要推力加速度、推力和秒流量的计算公式,并通过调整总飞行时间和着陆点位置实现了燃料消耗最小的优化处理.算例结果证明了这种方法的可行性和有效性.     

On the problem of optimal control of the thrust value of the electric propulsion rocket with solar energy source

Under consideration is the optimal control problem on a spacecraft motion in Newtonian central gravity field. With the use of the mathematical model of electrojet propulsion device (EPD) with solar energy source, proposed earlier in paper [1], the dependence of the EPD working substance choice on both the duration of the given dynamic maneuver and the propellant expenditures for its fulfillment is investigated. The efficiency evaluation is carrying out of optimal control of variable valued thrust as well as that for relay mode thrust and relay mode thrust with optimal fixed thrust value.     

椭圆轨道交会、悬停与绕飞的全状态反馈控制

面向大椭圆轨道航天器交会对接、编队伴飞以及在轨操控等空间应用的需求,对大椭圆轨道上航天器间的相对运动进行了分析与建模,采用幂级数法分别在脉冲推力和常值推力作用两种情况下对系统进行了近似求解。通过对系统解的变换以及对系统状态的重构,给出了大椭圆轨道上的三种交会制导律。脉冲推力作用假设下的脉冲制导类似近圆轨道的Hill制导方法。常值推力作用假设下的全状态反馈制导律则在交会制导、相对悬停和循迹绕飞控制的过程中实现了对相对位置和相对速度的同步控制。通过构造新的系统状态,改进的变系数全状态反馈制导律提高了相对速度的制导精度,降低了相对制导过程中的最大轨控加速度。三种制导律的制导效果通过数学仿真进行了校验和比较,文中给出的方法实现了椭圆轨道上相对交会制导、悬停保持和循迹绕飞控制。