meetings - Space Flight Mechanics Committee

Feb 11, 2013 Kauai Salon 2
SESSION 6: LOW-THRUST TRAJECTORY DESIGN
Chair: Dr. Hanspeter Schaub, University of Colorado
13:30 AAS Quasi Time-Optimal Receding Horizon Control Algorithm Application to
13-249 Continuous-Thrust Orbital Rendezvous
Piotr Felisiak, Wrocław University of Technology
The paper focuses on a sub-optimal strategy for the orbital rendezvous between an active
chaser spacecraft with continuous-thrust propulsion and a passive target satellite. A
proposal of solution is based on a Quasi Time-Optimal Receding Horizon Control (QTO-
RHC) algorithm. In the survey an optimization performance measure is expressed by a
compromise between the transfer time and integral of squared control signal (expenditure of
fuel). The proposed method is noise resistant and able to effectively handle with various
constraints. The problem includes constraints on amount of fuel, thrust magnitude and
approach velocity.
13:50 AAS Satellite Power Subsystem Requirements for Time-Constrained Electric
13-256 Orbit-Raising with Minimal Radiation Impact
Atri Dutta, Princeton University; Paola Libraro, Princeton University; Jeremy
Kasdin, Princeton University; Edgar Choueiri, Princeton University
In this paper, we consider the problem of electric orbit-raising of telecommunication
satellites. In order to minimize the impact of radiation during the orbit-raising maneuver, we
formulate an optimization problem that minimizes radiation fluence along the trajectory,
subject to an upper bound on the transfer time. We use a direct optimization approach to
solve the problem for a variety of mission scenarios. For different choice of electric
thrusters and injection orbits, we determine the satellite power subsystem requirements for
orbit-raising and the Beginning-of-Life power of the satellite delivered to the Geostationary
orbit.
14:10 AAS A Study of the Hohmann Spiral Transfer with Low-Thrust Inclination
13-250 Change
Steven Owens, University of Strathclyde; Malcolm Macdonald, University of
Strathclyde
This paper presents an analysis of the Hohmann Spiral Transfer (HST), an orbit transfer
method previously developed by the author incorporating both high and low-thrust
propulsion systems, when the low-thrust system is also used to perform an inclination
change. Critical specific impulse ratios are derived which dictate the point where the HST
offers a fuel mass saving compared to a conventional high-thrust transfer. It is shown that
under certain transfer requirements the HST can offer substantial fuel mass savings which
could be used to extend the life of the platform or offer additional payload space.
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23 rd AAS / AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting