Method for Optimization of Trajectories Including Gravitational Maneuvers of a Spacecraft with a Solar Sail
- Paper number
IAC-08.C1.2.4
- Author
Mr. Pavel Kazmerchuk, Lavochkin Association, Russia
- Coauthor
Mr. Veniamin V. Malyshev, Moscow aviation institute (MAI), Russia
- Coauthor
Mr. Valery E. Usachov, Moscow Aviation Institute, Russia
- Year
2008
- Abstract
At present, leading world space powers conduct active research and development in the field of design of missions to planets of the Solar system. The specific features of a solution of these problems are the choice of optimal, in the sense of requirements to the expedition, rocket space complex (RSC) and flight trajectory. Due to high power consumption, the implementation of these projects requires heavy and expensive RSC equipped with chemical propulsion engines. A promising direction towards reduction of the cost of missions to planets is the application of new physical principles of motion in space, one of which is the creation of spacecrafts (SC) with a solar sail (SS). In combination with gravitational maneuvers near planets, application of an SS can ensure essential economy of power consumption and thus increase scientific attractiveness of the mission or provide a possibility of replacement of an RSC by a less powerful and expensive one. The application of a SS as a small propulsion system and multiple gravitational maneuvers cause considerable difficulties in optimization of trajectories by conventional methods. In particular, the presence of multiple gravitational maneuvers and constraints on the orientation of the SS with respect to the solar radiation flux create problems in the solution of the “end-to-end” boundary value problem taking into account all segments of the flight. A method optimization of flight trajectories including multiple gravitational maneuvers of spacecrafts equipped with a solar sail is considered. The proposed method provides a possibility of formation of the general approach to solution of optimization problems of interplanetary missions using a solar sail. In this work, the method of optimization of interplanetary flights including segments of GMs of SS vehicles is proposed. This method provides a possibility to:
- solve optimization problems of interplanetary flights with SS;
- optimize trajectories with the presence of an unlimited number of GMs;
- take into account an arbitrary number of constraints (of the type of equalities and inequalities) imposed on any segments of the flight;
- perform “end-to-end” optimization of the whole mission;
- optimize instants (dates) of GMs.
The core of the method is a sequential linearization that reduces the original problem at each iteration step to a linear programming problem, which, unlike nonlinear numerical optimization methods, guarantees the convergence. The problems of optimization of flight trajectories to Mercury and to a vicinity of the Sun on the basis of the Soyuz-Fregat RSC are solved using the proposed method.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.C1.2.4.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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