Related papers: Optimal Low-Thrust Orbit Transfers Connecting Gate…
Low-thrust orbital transfers are difficult to optimize by indirect methods. The main issues come from the costate guess and from the numerical propagation accuracy required by the shooting method. In the case of a coplanar minimum-time…
Low-thrust, many-revolution transfers between near-rectilinear halo orbits and low lunar orbits are challenging due to the many-revolutions and is further complicated by three-body perturbation. To address these challenges, we extend hybrid…
This paper presents a comparative study of the applicability and accuracy of optimal control methods and neural network-based estimators in the context of porkchop plots for preliminary asteroid rendezvous mission design. The scenario…
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…
The minimum-fuel low-thrust transfer between circular orbits is formulated using the Edelbaum's averaged dynamics with the addition of the nodal precession due to the first zonal term. The extremal analysis shows that an optimal transfer is…
This contribution focuses on the design of low-energy transfers between planetary moons and presents an efficient technique to compute trajectories characterized by desirable behaviors in the vicinities of the departure and destination…
In this paper, we seek optimal solutions for a transfer from a parking orbit around the Moon to a halo orbit around $L_2$ of the Earth-Moon system, by applying a single maneuver and exploiting the stable invariant manifold of the hyperbolic…
This study presents autonomous guidance and control strategies for the purpose of reconfiguring close-range multi-satellite formations. The formation under consideration includes $N$ under-actuated deputy satellites and an uncontrolled…
Generating low-thrust transfer trajectories between Earth and the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO), that is selected for NASA's Gateway, can be challenging due to the low control authority available from the propulsion system and the…
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…
This study addresses optimal impulsive trajectory design within the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP), presenting a global optimization-based approach to identify minimum $\Delta V$ transfers between periodic orbits, including…
We present an optimization-based approach for fuel-efficient spacecraft rendezvous to the Gateway, a space station that will be deployed on a near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. The approach: i) ensures passive safety and…
The rapid growth of cislunar activities, including lunar landings, the Lunar Gateway, and in-space refueling stations, requires advances in cost-efficient trajectory design and reliable integration of navigation and remote sensing.…
This paper presents a novel neighboring extremal approach to establish the neighboring optimal guidance (NOG) strategy for fixed-time low-thrust multi-burn orbital transfer problems. Unlike the classical variational methods which define and…
This paper presents a trajectory optimization and control approach for the guidance of an orbital four-arm robot in extravehicular activities. The robot operates near the target spacecraft, enabling its arm's end-effectors to reach the…
The renewed global interest in lunar exploration requires new orbital strategies to ensure flight safety which can benefit extended lunar missions and service a plethora of planned instruments in the lunar orbit and surface. We investigate…
In this paper, we present an application of the optimal control theory to orbital transfer of Low Earth Orbit satellites. The optimal control problem is treated with Dynamic Programming techniques which require solving the…
We present an efficient transcription method for highly oscillatory optimal control problems. For these problems, the optimal state trajectory consists of fast oscillations that change slowly over the time horizon. Out of a large number of…
Designing optimal trajectories for multi-flyby asteroid missions is scientifically critical but technically challenging due to nonlinear dynamics, intermediate constraints, and numerous local optima. This paper establishes a method that…
Spacecraft operations are influenced by uncertainties such as dynamics modeling, navigation, and maneuver execution errors. Although mission design has traditionally incorporated heuristic safety margins to mitigate the effect of…