Set-oriented design of interplanetary low-thrust trajectories using Earth Gravity Assist

Abstract

A method by which to incorporate the Electric Delta-V Earth Gravity Assist (EDVEGA) scheme into a patched three-body approach to design an interplanetary transfer trajectory is presented in this paper. The EDVEGA scheme is a promising technique to reduce fuel consumption using Earth gravity assist and electric propulsion. In a patched three-body approach, the dimension of the problem that connects some trajectories is reduced by the use of special attainable sets. However, because of the singularity associated with Earth's center, it is difficult to connect an EDVEGA trajectory with a trajectory designed in the three-body problem. Therefore, this paper proposes a design method for an Earth–Mars transfer trajectory that combines the EDVEGA scheme with a patched three-body approach using Levi-Civita regularization and a special contour plot. Through comparison with conventional invariant manifold techniques, we demonstrate that fuel consumption is reduced by the proposed method.