Optimizing transfers between non-coplanar orbits for subsequent deployment of a space system for Earth remote sensing

The paper discusses the problem of designing combined profiles for inserting Earth remote sensing spacecraft into near-circular orbits with low inclination using high and low thrust. The main focus of this paper is on calculating optimal values for parameters of the intermediate orbit to be established by the upper stage that provide delivery to a low inclination orbit of a spacecraft with maximum mass within a specified amount of time. Transfer from the intermediate orbit to the working orbit is effected by electric thrusters installed on the spacecraft itself. As a first step towards finding intermediate orbit parameters, conditional maximization problem is solved for the final mass of the spacecraft using the method of undetermined Lagrange multipliers. After that, using Pontryagin’s maximum principle, the strict optimization problem is solved for the trajectory of the electrically propelled spacecraft transferring from the intermediate orbit to the working orbit. The paper provides numerical results for the problem of optimizing the insertion profile in question.