Optimum impulsive transfers between non-coplanar elliptic orbits having collinear major axes

Abstract

The total characteristic velocity has been optimised for impulsive transfers between non-coplanar elliptic orbits having a common centre of attraction and collinear major axes in the same sense. Up to three apsidal impulses have been considered with the whole plane change occurring at the (coincident) apocentres of the semi-elliptic (Hohmann-type) transfer paths. For three-impulse transfers, the optimum mode is to transfer between pericentres of the initial and final elliptic orbits. For two-impulse (tilted-Hohmann) transfers, the optimum mode is to transfer from the pericentre of the inner ellipse to the apocentre of the outer ellipse; for overlap configurations of initial and final elliptic orbits, optimum transfers from one ellipse to another with larger pericentric distance are from apocentre to pericentre.