In this paper the new concept of hybrid propulsion transfers is applied to the trajectory design for the ESA Marco Polo mission, a NEO sample return mission. The concept of hybrid propulsion transfers combine the features of low-energy transfer, which implies impulsive maneuver accomplished using chemical propulsion, and low-thrust transfer. The optimization is performed with a direct transcription procedure. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem and solved for a finite set of variables, maximizing the final spacecraft mass. The designed hybrid propulsion transfers have been in-depth compared with the baseline trajectories obtained for Marco Polo mission.
Alternative Hybrid Propulsion Transfers for Marco Polo NEOs Sample Return Mission
MASSARI, MAURO;TOPPUTO, FRANCESCO;
2013-01-01
Abstract
In this paper the new concept of hybrid propulsion transfers is applied to the trajectory design for the ESA Marco Polo mission, a NEO sample return mission. The concept of hybrid propulsion transfers combine the features of low-energy transfer, which implies impulsive maneuver accomplished using chemical propulsion, and low-thrust transfer. The optimization is performed with a direct transcription procedure. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem and solved for a finite set of variables, maximizing the final spacecraft mass. The designed hybrid propulsion transfers have been in-depth compared with the baseline trajectories obtained for Marco Polo mission.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.