Collision Avoidance Maneuver Optimization with a Multiple-Impulse Convex Formulation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a convex optimization-based method for computing optimal collision avoidance maneuvers using multiple impulses, suitable for real-time autonomous space operations.

Contribution

It presents a novel convex formulation for impulsive collision avoidance maneuvers that can be solved efficiently without assumptions on thrust structure.

Findings

Calculates optimal maneuvers in fractions of a second.

Handles impulsive and low-thrust scenarios effectively.

Operates in polynomial time for complex problems.

Abstract

A method to compute optimal collision avoidance maneuvers for short-term encounters is presented. The maneuvers are modeled as multiple-impulses to handle impulsive cases and to approximate finite burn arcs associated either with short alert times or the use of low-thrust propulsion. The maneuver design is formulated as a sequence of convex optimization problems solved in polynomial time by state-of-the-art primal-dual interior-point algorithms. The proposed approach calculates optimal solutions without assumptions about the thrust arc structure and thrust direction. The execution time is fraction of a second for an optimization problem with hundreds of variables and constraints, making it suitable for autonomous calculations.