6533b7d9fe1ef96bd126b94c

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Optimal Trajectories for Spacecraft Rendezvous

M. W. WeeksAngelo MieleMarco Ciarcià

subject

Control and OptimizationSpacecraftbusiness.industryApplied MathematicsRendezvousThrustManagement Science and Operations ResearchOptimal controlSpace explorationComputer Science::Multiagent SystemsComputer Science::RoboticsAccelerationControl theoryPhysics::Space PhysicsOrbit (dynamics)Circular orbitbusinessMathematics

description

The efficient execution of a rendezvous maneuver is an essential component of various types of space missions. This work describes the formulation and numerical investigation of the thrust function required to minimize the time or fuel required for the terminal phase of the rendezvous of two spacecraft. The particular rendezvous studied concerns a target spacecraft in a circular orbit and a chaser spacecraft with an initial separation distance and separation velocity in all three dimensions. First, the time-optimal rendezvous is investigated followed by the fuel-optimal rendezvous for three values of the max-thrust acceleration via the sequential gradient-restoration algorithm. Then, the time-optimal rendezvous for given fuel and the fuel-optimal rendezvous for given time are investigated. There are three controls, one determining the thrust magnitude and two determining the thrust direction in space.

http://hdl.handle.net/10447/24004