An initial assessment of the feasibility of a function space gradient method for computing solutions to minimum-fuel power-limited transfers encompassing a wide range of thrust to weight ratios is conducted. Three transfers between coplanar ellipses are used as test cases. The gradient method performs best at the high end of the thrust to weight ratio range. At the lower end, there is reduced sensitivity of the fuel consumption to the control profiles. The minimum fuel consumption and the trajectory are computed quite accurately but the control profiles are in error. An approximate analytical solution, obtained by Edelbaum using the method of averaging, is discussed.


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    Title :

    Comparison of solution approaches for minimum-fuel, low-thrust, power-limited orbital transfers


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference ; 1990 ; Portland, OR, United States


    Publication date :

    1990-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


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