Title:
Survey of Global Optimization Methods for Low-Thrust, Multiple Asteroid Tour Missions
Survey of Global Optimization Methods for Low-Thrust, Multiple Asteroid Tour Missions
Author(s)
Alemany, Kristina
Braun, Robert D.
Braun, Robert D.
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Abstract
Electric propulsion has recently become a viable option for robotic missions,
enabling shorter flight times, fewer required planetary gravity assists, smaller
launch vehicles, and/or larger payloads. Trajectory design of these missions
often relies on local optimization of the low-thrust trajectories using starting
points for departure and arrival dates and selection of gravitational swing-bys
based on previous experience. Global optimization of a low-thrust trajectory
with multiple targets and gravity assists, however, is a difficult problem, due to
the multi-modality and large size of the design space. In choosing analysis
techniques, there exists an important tradeoff between the accuracy of the results
and computing time required. This paper presents the difficulty of solving this
global optimization problem, using the design of a multiple asteroid tour mission
as an example. Furthermore, this paper presents an overview of the methods
available for both low-thrust trajectory optimization and global optimization,
along with recent improvements made, and assesses their efficacy and
applicability to solving a multiple target/multiple gravity assist problem.
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Date Issued
2007-01
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Text
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Paper