Low-Thrust Many-Revolution Trajectory Design Under Operational Uncertainties for DESTINY+ Mission

TL;DR

This paper presents a trajectory design method for the DESTINY+ mission using differential dynamic programming, demonstrating robustness to operational uncertainties through Monte Carlo simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel low-thrust trajectory design approach employing differential dynamic programming with Sundman transformation for the DESTINY+ mission.

Findings

Successful guidance to lunar transfer orbit confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations.

Feedback control law effectively manages operational uncertainties.

Trajectory design enhances mission robustness and operational feasibility.

Abstract

DESTINY+ is a planned JAXA medium-class Epsilon mission from Earth to deep space using a low-thrust, many-revolution orbit. Such a trajectory design is a challenging problem not only for trajectory design but also for flight operations, and in particular, it is essential to evaluate the impact of operational uncertainties to ensure mission success. In this study, we design the low-thrust trajectory from Earth orbit to a lunar transfer orbit by differential dynamic programming using the Sundman transformation. The results of Monte Carlo simulations with operational uncertainties confirm that the spacecraft can be successfully guided to the lunar transfer orbit by using the feedback control law of differential dynamic programming in the angular domain.