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A trajectory optimization problem is examined to determine the most fuel-efficient rendezvous trajectory between spacecrafts in different orbits. To explore the whole range of feasible solutions, the wait time and the total time of flight are treated as free parameters while the initial and transfer orbits are not restricted to a particular one. To improve the accuracy of the numerical computation, the Kepler's time of flight equation is posed in terms of universal variables while the Lagrange coefficients are employed to obtain three-dimensional orbit information. The optimal rendezvous trajectory is then obtained enforcing the determined necessary conditions to be satisfied given only the initial state vectors of the involved spacecrafts. Two optimal rendezvous trajectories between a Sample Return Orbiter (SRO) and an Orbiting Sample Container (OS) are computed in the context of a future Mars Sample Return mission to demonstrate the reliability of the proposed solution. Finally, orbital perturbations due to the real shape of planet Mars and the solar radiation pressure are taken into account to determine the additional energy required to compensate these perturbations while performing the rendezvous manoeuvre. • Two necessary conditions guarantee an optimal rendezvous trajectory. • No restrictions on the initial orbits are imposed to compute the optimal solution. • Wait time and total time of flight are the most important optimization outputs. • A fast convergence of the algorithm is ensured with a good initial guess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach to the minimum energy impulse intercept problem for spacecraft in orbit is explored. The types of orbits investigated in this paper are not restricted to a particular one. The constrained optimization technique is formulated with the universal variable, which is used to describe orbit information with sufficient accuracy for general types of orbits. Two optimization problems are posed. First, a problem for minimum velocity change and time of flight for intercept are investigated with the constraint on the final position of two satellites. Next, the so-called wait time is also added as an additional parameter to be determined. Although a closed-form solution is not obtained, the Newton iteration technique is successfully applicable. Finally, by numerically comparing the proposed solution to the Hohmann transfer, the suggested approach is demonstrated to be a feasible technique applicable to a broad class of orbit transfer problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solution to the fixed-time minimum-fuel two-impulse rendezvous problem for the general non-coplanar elliptical orbits is provided. The optimal transfer orbit is obtained using the constrained multiple-revolution Lambert solution. Constraints consist of lower bound for perigee altitude and upper bound for apogee altitude. The optimal time-free two-impulse transfer problem between two fixed endpoints implies finding the roots of an eighth order polynomial, which is done using a numerical iterative technique. The set of feasible solutions is determined by using the constraints conditions to solve for the short-path and long-path orbits semimajor axis ranges. Then, by comparing the optimal time-free solution with the feasible solutions, the optimal semimajor axis for the two fixed-endpoints transfer is identified. Based on the proposed solution procedure for the optimal two fixed-endpoints transfer, a contour of the minimum cost for different initial and final coasting parameters is obtained. Finally, a numerical optimization algorithm (e.g., evolutionary algorithm) can be used to solve this global minimization problem. A numerical example is provided to show how to apply the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]