Recursive Multi-Objective Optimization of Mars-Earth-Venus Trajectories
Author(s)
Barrow, Kirk S. S.
Holzinger, Marcus J.
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Abstract
The NASA exploration roadmap envisions a sustainable human presence beyond Earth orbit
with an emphasis on Mars habitation. Establishing an interplanetary transportation system
in orbits that periodically intersect Earth and Mars have been under study since 1969 to meet
this end, but solutions generally suffer from high v requirements, high approach velocities,
and unfeasibly long transit times or impractical simplifying assumptions like co-planar,
circular orbits. This work seeks to expand investigations to connective low-thrust, low-v
trajectories that also take advantage of Venusian gravity assists when available to further
optimize cyclic systems. By leveraging supercomputing resources, this work also seeks to
diverge from studies using cycler templates and explore a larger parameter space for potential
solutions that take advantage of realistic planetary ephemeris like plane change maneuvers.
To optimize the process, a piecewise multi-objective Newton's method optimization is applied
to combinations of planets resulting in several tours per year with less than 7 km/s v
including Earth departure v1. This method is demonstrably better than an even sampling of
launch and encounter dates for investigations with limited computational resources. The inclusion
of Venus allows the algorithm to take advantage of fortuitous alignments of Venus for
plane change maneuvers, reducing the overall cost. Venusian-inclusive tours also provides
launch opportunities outside the usual Earth-Mars launch windows.
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Date
2017-02
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