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Decomposition technique and optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experimentAn actual geosynchronous earth orbit-to-low earth orbit (GEO-to-LEO) transfer is considered with reference to the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) spacecraft, and optimal trajectories are determined by minimizing the total characteristic velocity. The optimization is performed with respect to the time history of the controls (angle of attack and angle of bank), the entry path inclination and the flight time being free. Two transfer maneuvers are considered: direct ascent (DA) to LEO and indirect ascent (IA) to LEO via parking earth orbit (PEO). By taking into account certain assumptions, the complete system can be decoupled into two subsystems: one describing the longitudinal motion and one describing the lateral motion. The angle of attack history, the entry path inclination, and the flight time are determined via the longitudinal motion subsystem. In this subsystem, the difference between the instantaneous bank angle and a constant bank angle is minimized in the least square sense subject to the specified orbital inclination requirement. Both the angles of attack and the angle of bank are shown to be constant. This result has considerable importance in the design of nominal trajectories to be used in the guidance of AFE and aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) vehicles.
Document ID
19910055703
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Miele, A.
(Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Wang, T.
(Rice University Houston, TX, United States)
Deaton, A. W.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications
Volume: 69
ISSN: 0022-3239
Subject Category
Astrodynamics
Accession Number
91A40326
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-956415
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG8-820
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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