Shape-Based Approach to Low Thrust Multi-Revolution Transfer between Coplanar Orbits

Abstract

Low thrust multi-revolution transfer around the center body With a long duration of time is studied using the shape-based approximation method considering trajectory safety constraint. This problem requires that the spacecraft trajectory can be able to transfer between successive perigee and apogee under the action of low-thrust, and be always between initial and target orbits. For the low thrust multi-revolution transfer between coplanar orbits, the four shape-based function methods are compared in this paper, and those coefficients of shape-based function are obtained analytically by initial and target boundary conditions With zero unknown parameters. Finally, numerical examples show the costs of the four methods are almost for the transfer between coplanar circular orbits and the fourth shape-based function method can provides low cost solution for the transfer between coplanar elliptic orbits.