Abstract
The space mission planning process is considered as a hybrid optimal control problem. Hybrid optimal control problems are problems that include categorical variables in the problem formulation. For example, an interplanetary trajectory may consist of a sequence of low thrust arcs, impulses and planetary flybys. However, for each choice of the structure of the mission, for example, for a particular choice of the number of planetary flybys to be used, there is a corresponding optimal trajectory. It is not a priori clear which structure will yield the most efficient mission. In this work we present a mathematical framework for describing such problems and solution methods for the hybrid optimal control problem based on evolutionary principles that have the potential for being a robust solver of such problems. As an example, the methods are used to find the optimal choice of three asteroids to visit in sequence, out of a set of eight candidate asteroids, in order to minimize the fuel required.
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Conway, B.A., Chilan, C.M. & Wall, B.J. Evolutionary principles applied to mission planning problems. Celestial Mech Dyn Astr 97, 73–86 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-006-9052-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-006-9052-7