Abstract Low–thrust propulsion systems of high specific impulse are advantageous in the fuel efficiency. The fuel expenditure is further reduced together with optimization techniques though fuel–optimal low–thrust trajectories result in a discontinuous bang–bang control structure that can cause numerical difficulties. The present paper introduces regularized formulations into the direct multiple shooting method of minimizing fuel expenditure for low–thrust spacecraft trajectories. Instantaneous velocity changes approximating low–thrust maneuvers are expressed by regularized variables based on the Levi–Civita or Kustaanheimo–Stiefel transformation. The new formulation removes singularities due to null thrust impulses from derivatives of an objective function and constraints. The method automatically and robustly finds fuel–efficient bang–bang control structures for multi–revolutional transfers between periodic orbits in the Earth–Moon circular restricted three–body problem.


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    Title :

    Regularized direct method for low–thrust trajectory optimization: Minimum–fuel transfer between cislunar periodic orbits


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 72 , 6 ; 2051-2063


    Publication date :

    2023-05-30


    Size :

    13 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English