https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-01151-2
Regular Article
Fast 2-impulse non-Keplerian orbit transfer using the Theory of Functional Connections
1
INPE-National Institute for Space Research, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
2
Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
Received:
9
January
2021
Accepted:
22
January
2021
Published online:
17
February
2021
This study applies a new approach, the Theory of Functional Connections (TFC), to solve the two-point boundary-value problem (TPBVP) in non-Keplerian orbit transfer. The perturbations considered are drag, solar radiation pressure, higher-order gravitational potential harmonic terms, and multiple bodies. The proposed approach is applied to Earth-to-Moon transfers and obtains exact boundary condition satisfaction and with very fast convergence. Thanks to this highly efficient approach, perturbed pork-chop plots of Earth-to-Moon transfers are generated, and individual analyses on the transfers’ parameters are easily done at low computational costs. The minimum fuel analysis is provided in terms of the time of flight, thrust application points, and relative geometry of the Moon and Sun. The transfer costs obtained are in agreement with the literature’s best solutions and in some cases are even slightly better.
A previous version was presented as: De Almeida Junior, A.K., Johnston, H., Leake, C., and Mortari, D. “Evaluation of transfer costs in the Earth/Moon system using the Theory of Functional Connections,” AAS 20-596, Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 9-12, Lake Tahoe, CA.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021
