Affine transformation of adjoint variables in the energy optimal flight problem

K. R. Korneev


Abstract: The paper deals with low-thrust optimization of energy optimal interplanetary transfers of spacecraft. Application of Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle reduces the optimization problem to a two-point boundary-value problem. The first integrals of the optimal trajectories are then analyzed under affine transformations of the adjoint variables. Using these affine transformations, a coplanar transfer between circular orbits converted into a non-coplanar transfer between elliptical.

Keywords: low-thrust propulsion, minimum-energy transfer, indirect optimization, Pontryagin’s maximum principle, symbolic regression, affine transformation.