The problem of determining high-accuracy minimum-time Earth-orbit transfers using low-thrust propulsion with eclipsing is considered. The orbit transfer problem is posed as a multiple-phase optimal control problem where the spacecraft can thrust only during phases where it has line of sight to the sun. Event constraints, based on the geometry of a penumbra shadow region, are enforced between the phases and determine the amount of time spent in an eclipse. An initial guess generation method is developed that constructs a useful guess by solving a series of single-phase optimal control problems and analyzing the resulting trajectory to approximate where the spacecraft enters and exits the Earth’s shadow. The single-phase and multiple-phase optimal control problems are solved using an h p adaptive Legendre–Gauss–Radau orthogonal collocation method. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach developed in this research, optimal transfer trajectories are computed for two Earth-orbit transfers found in the literature. In addition to the two comparison cases studied, a separate Earth-orbit transfer is examined, and solutions are presented for four different departures dates.


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    Title :

    Minimum-Time Trajectory Optimization of Low-Thrust Earth-Orbit Transfers with Eclipsing


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2016-03-01




    Type of media :

    Conference paper , Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English







    Minimum-Time Continuous-Thrust Orbit Transfers

    Thorne, James D. / Hall, Christopher D. | Online Contents | 1997


    Minimum-Time Continuous-Thrust Orbit Transfers

    Thorne, James D. / Hall, Christopher D. | Springer Verlag | 1997