Related papers: Fuel-Optimal Trajectory Planning for Lunar Vertica…
This paper addresses an optimal guidance problem concerning the vertical landing of a lunar lander with the objective of minimizing fuel consumption. The vertical landing imposes a final attitude constraint, which is treated as a final…
This paper studies a vertical powered descent problem in the context of planetary landing, considering glide-slope and thrust pointing constraints and minimizing any final cost. In a first time, it proves the Max-Min-Max or Max-Singular-Max…
Recent successful lunar landing missions have generated significant interest among space agencies in establishing a permanent human settlement on the Moon. Building a lunar base requires multiple and frequent landing missions to support…
We propose a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control approach to spacecraft rendezvous in non-Keplerian Lunar orbits. The approach is based on the Pontryagin Minimum Principle and allows the accomplishment of minimum-propellant maneuvers. The…
The optimization of low-thrust, multi-revolution orbit transfer trajectories is often regarded as a difficult problem in modern astrodynamics. In this paper, a flexible and computationally efficient approach is presented for the…
This paper presents the preliminary design of the descent and landing trajectory of the ESA Argonaut lunar lander. The mission scenario and driving system constraints are presented and accounted for in the design of a fuel-optimal…
In this paper we present a fast method based on successive convexification for generating fuel-optimized spacecraft rendezvous trajectories in the presence of mixed-integer constraints. A recently developed paradigm of state-triggered…
This paper presents the real-time retargeting guidance policy developed for the Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing mission. The baseline guidance generates approximate fuel-optimal descent trajectories, while a high-level policy enables safe…
Platooning is a way to significantly reduce fuel consumption of trucks. Vehicles that drive at close inter-vehicle distance assisted by automatic controllers experience substantially lower air-drag. In this paper, we deal with the problem…
Low-thrust engines for interplanetary spacecraft transfers allow cost-effective space missions with flexible launch and arrival dates. To find fuel-optimal trajectories, an optimal control problem is to be solved. Pontryagin's Maximum…
The minimum-fuel orbital transfer is analyzed in the case of a launcher upper stage using a constantly thrusting engine. The thrust level is assumed to be constant and its value is optimized together with the thrust direction. A closed-loop…
In this paper, the trajectory planning problem for autonomous rendezvous and docking between a controlled spacecraft and a tumbling target is addressed. The use of a variable planning horizon is proposed in order to construct an appropriate…
This paper aims to address the nonlinear optimal guidance problem with impact-time and impact-angle constraints, which is fundamentally important for multiple pursuers to collaboratively achieve a target. Addressing such a guidance problem…
The problem of finding the optimal thrust profile of a launcher upper stage is analyzed. The engine is assumed to be continuously thrusting, following either a linear or a bilevel parametric profile, until reaching the targeted coplanar…
This paper is based on a crucial issue in the aviation world: how to optimize the trajectory and controls given to the aircraft in order to optimize flight time and fuel consumption. This study aims to provide elements of a response to this…
We propose a machine learning enhanced algorithm for solving the optimal landing problem. Using Pontryagin's minimum principle, we derive a two-point boundary value problem for the landing problem. The proposed algorithm uses deep learning…
In this research, we consider the commercial aircraft trajectory optimization problem for a general cruise model with arbitrary spatial wind fields to be solved using the Pontryagin maximum principle. The model features two fundamental…
The vertical trajectory optimization for the en route descent phase is studied in the presence of both along track and cross winds, which are both modeled as functions of altitude. The flight range covers some portion of a cruise segment…
The problem under consideration is to drive a spatial vehicle to a target at a given final time while minimizing fuel consumption. This is a classical optimal control problem in a deterministic setting. However temporary stochastic failures…
The minimum-time path for intercepting a moving target with a prescribed impact angle is studied in the paper. The candidate paths from Pontryagin's maximum principle are analyzed, so that each candidate is related to a zero of a…