The problem of reentry is simply to reduce the kinetic energy of the reentry vehicle while preserving the structural integrity of the spacecraft and the health of the astronauts on board. In general, the trajectory that minimizes some linear combination of heating and acceleration forces is the desired one. Many of the previous investigations into this problem considered only a planar reentry. The results indicate that the optimal flight path is a steep dive into the dense regions of the atmosphere, followed by a gradual ascent to the terminal altitude. It is in this dive maneuver that the kinetic energy of the vehicle is most quickly dissipated. The possibility of eliminating the severity of the dive maneuver with some lateral maneuvering at high altitudes is the motivation for this research. (Author)
Optimization of Three-Dimensional Reentry Trajectories
1968
3 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Control Systems & Control Theory , Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Descent trajectories , Adaptive control systems , Atmosphere entry , Mathematical models , Calculus of variations , Equations of motion , Manned spacecraft , Drag , Algorithms , Optimization , Boundary value problems , Reprints , Control theory , Optimal control , Two point boundary value problems
Optimization of three-dimensional reentry trajectories.
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