Related papers: Global Optimality in Multi-Flyby Asteroid Trajecto…
In this paper we study the problem of designing periodic orbits for a special class of hybrid systems, namely mechanical systems with underactuated continuous dynamics and impulse events. We approach the problem by means of optimal control.…
In 2023, the 12th edition of Global Trajectory Competition was organised around the problem referred to as "Sustainable Asteroid Mining". This paper reports the developments that led to the solution proposed by ESA's Advanced Concepts Team.…
Designing spacecraft trajectories remains challenging in the presence of stochastic effects such as maneuver execution errors and observation uncertainties. Although covariance control and belief-space planning provide useful tools for…
Quadrotors are among the most agile flying robots. However, planning time-optimal trajectories at the actuation limit through multiple waypoints remains an open problem. This is crucial for applications such as inspection, delivery, search…
We address the challenge of real-time planning of minimum-time trajectories over multiple waypoints, onboard multirotor UAVs. Previous works demonstrated that achieving a truly time-optimal trajectory is computationally too demanding to…
The optimal design of multi-target rendezvous and flyby missions is challenging due to the combination of traditional spacecraft trajectory optimization and high-dimensional combinatorial problems. This often requires large-scale global…
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 optimal tracking problem is addressed in the robotics literature by using a variety of robust and adaptive control approaches. However, these schemes are associated with implementation limitations such as applicability in uncertain…
In this work, we construct a novel numerical method for solving the multi-marginal optimal transport problems with Coulomb cost. This type of optimal transport problems arises in quantum physics and plays an important role in understanding…
This paper presents the development and evaluation of an optimization-based autonomous trajectory planning algorithm for the asteroid reconnaissance phase of a deep-space exploration mission. The reconnaissance phase is a low-altitude flyby…
Aircraft failures alter dynamics, diminishing manoeuvrability. Such manoeuvring flight envelope variations, governed by the aircraft's complex nonlinear dynamics, are unpredictable by pilots and existing flight management systems. To…
Low-thrust trajectory design relies heavily on repeated evaluations of fuel consumption and transfer feasibility, which require expensive optimal control solutions. In this work, we show these quantities can be accurately approximated by…
Spacecraft trajectory design is a global search problem, where previous work has revealed specific solution structures that can be captured with data-driven methods. This paper explores two global search problems in the circular restricted…
This paper shows how to find lower bounds on, and sometimes solve globally, a large class of nonlinear optimal control problems with impulsive controls using semi-definite programming (SDP). This is done by relaxing an optimal control…
Long time-duration low-thrust nonlinear optimal spacecraft trajectory global search is a computationally and time expensive problem characterized by clustering patterns in locally optimal solutions. During preliminary mission design,…
This work develops feasible path trajectories for a coordinated strike with multiple aircraft in a constrained environment. Using direct orthogonal collocation methods, the two-point boundary value optimal control problem is transcribed…
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…
This paper proposes a solution for multiple-impulse orbital maneuvers near circular orbits for special cases where orbital observations are not globally available and the spacecraft is being observed through a limited window from a ground…
This paper presents an analysis of optimal impact strategies to deflect potentially dangerous asteroids. To compute the increase in the minimum orbit intersection distance of the asteroid due to an impact with a spacecraft, simple…
Low-thrust electric propulsion missions are often designed under simplifying assumptions such as constant thrust or fixed specific impulse, neglecting the strong coupling between trajectory dynamics, spacecraft power availability, and…