Sequential Convex Programming for Multimode Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization

Fuente: arXiv
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Autore principale: Yarndley, Jack
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Yarndley, Jack
author_facet Yarndley, Jack
contents Spacecraft equipped with multiple propulsion modes or systems can offer enhanced performance and mission flexibility compared with traditional configurations. Despite these benefits, the trajectory optimization of spacecraft utilizing such configurations remains a complex challenge. This paper presents a sequential convex programming (SCP) approach for the optimal design of multi-mode and multi-propulsion spacecraft trajectories. The method extends the dynamical linearization within SCP using sparse automatic differentiation, enabling efficient inclusion of multiple propulsion modes or systems without complex manual reformulation while maintaining comparable computational efficiency. New constraint formulations are introduced to ensure selection of a single propulsion mode at each time step and limit the total number of modes used. The approach is demonstrated for (i) a low-thrust Earth-67P rendezvous using the SPT-140 thruster with 20 discrete modes, and (ii) an Earth-Mars transfer employing both a low-thrust engine and a solar sail. Results confirm that the proposed method can efficiently compute optimal trajectories for these scenarios.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_19505
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Sequential Convex Programming for Multimode Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization
Yarndley, Jack
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Systems and Control
Spacecraft equipped with multiple propulsion modes or systems can offer enhanced performance and mission flexibility compared with traditional configurations. Despite these benefits, the trajectory optimization of spacecraft utilizing such configurations remains a complex challenge. This paper presents a sequential convex programming (SCP) approach for the optimal design of multi-mode and multi-propulsion spacecraft trajectories. The method extends the dynamical linearization within SCP using sparse automatic differentiation, enabling efficient inclusion of multiple propulsion modes or systems without complex manual reformulation while maintaining comparable computational efficiency. New constraint formulations are introduced to ensure selection of a single propulsion mode at each time step and limit the total number of modes used. The approach is demonstrated for (i) a low-thrust Earth-67P rendezvous using the SPT-140 thruster with 20 discrete modes, and (ii) an Earth-Mars transfer employing both a low-thrust engine and a solar sail. Results confirm that the proposed method can efficiently compute optimal trajectories for these scenarios.
title Sequential Convex Programming for Multimode Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization
topic Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19505