Evaluation of optimal low-thrust interplanetary trajectories with collinear libration points transitions

This paper presents an approach to solve the problem of end-to-end optimization of the interplanetary low-thrust trajectory. At first, the problem of optimizing low-thrust interplanetary trajectory, which passes through the collinear libration points near the planets of departure and arrival is considered. The obtained solutions from this problem can be used as an initial guess to solve the end-to-end optimization problem, i.e., to calculate interplanetary low-thrust trajectories that satisfy the necessary optimality conditions at the match points of the heliocentric and planetocentric segments of trajectory. The minimum-fuel problem is considered. An indirect approach, based on the maximum principle and the continuation method, is applied to optimize interplanetary spacecraft trajectories. Numerical examples of trajectories from the Earth orbit to the orbit around the destination planet (Mars and Jupiter) are given. The possibility of a significant reduction in the required value of characteristic velocity is shown in comparison with the estimates obtained by using the zero-radius sphere of influence model. Copyright © 2023 by Mr. Sung Wook Yoon, Dr. Viacheslav G. Petukhov, Dr. Alexey V. Ivanyukhin. Published by the IAF, with permission and released to the IAF to publish in all forms.