Automated Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories
Automated Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories
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DOI：
10.2514/6.2000-4033
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发表时间：
2000-08
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
A. Petropoulos;J. Longuski
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Petropoulos;J. Longuski
小推力重力辅助轨道的前景是相当可观的，因为它们可以以较低的推进剂成本和较短的飞行时间进入科学目标。小推力推进系统已经得到验证。将这项技术与经过验证的重力辅助技术相结合，有望为未来的远程目标任务打开大门。我们介绍了一种新的软件工具，自动搜索LTGA轨迹在很大范围内的发射能量，发射日期，和推进器的特性。该算法依赖于早期开发的基于形状的轨迹设计理论。我们使用该工具来研究水星（通过金星的重力辅助），谷神星（通过火星的重力辅助）和坦普尔1号的任务。我们广泛的设计搜索证实了低成本的发射日期对应的最佳轨迹在文献中的可能性。
The promise of low-thrust gravity-assist (LTGA) trajectories is considerable because they can grant access to scientific targets for low propellant costs and with short flight times. Low-thrust propulsion systems have already been demonstrated. Coupling this technology with the proven gravity-assist technique promises to open doors for future missions to distant targets. We introduce a new software tool which automatically searches for LTGA trajectories over a wide range of launch energies, launch dates, and thruster characteristics. The algorithm relies on the theory of shape-based trajectory design, developed earlier. We use the tool to study missions to Mercury (via gravity assist from Venus), to Ceres (via gravity assist from Mars), and to Tempel 1. Our broad design searches confirm the likelihood of low-cost trajectories for launch dates corresponding to optimal trajectories in the literature.