Practical Low-Thrust Geostationary Orbit Transfer Guidance via Linearized State Equations

What is it about?

Electric propulsion has a high specific impulse but low acceleration which result in long transfer time as well as challenges for guidance and control operations. Computing low-thrust optimal trajectories is well studied but generating a practical low-thrust transfer guidance scheme is not so. We propose a simple near-optimal guidance scheme which is well suited for implementation. The equations possess an unusual degree of brevity and the requirements of solving optimal trajectory is relaxed.

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