Optimal control laws for heliocentric transfers with a magnetic sail

A magnetic sail is an advanced propellantless propulsion system that uses the interaction between the solar wind and an artificial magnetic field generated by the spacecraft, to produce a propulsive thrust in interplanetary space. The aim of this paper is to collect the available experimental data, and the simulation results, to develop a simplified mathematical model that describes the propulsive acceleration of a magnetic sail, in an analytical form, for mission analysis purposes. Such a mathematical model is then used for estimating the performance of a magnetic sail-based spacecraft in a two-dimensional, minimum time, deep space mission scenario. In particular, optimal and locally optimal steering laws are derived using an indirect approach. The obtained results are then applied to a mission analysis involving both an optimal Earth–Venus (circle-to-circle) interplanetary transfer, and a locally optimal Solar System escape trajectory. For example, assuming a characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s², an optimal Earth–Venus transfer may be completed within about 380 days.