Guidance Strategy for Radially Accelerated Trajectories

摘要

A guidance scheme is proposed for orbital motion under continuous outward radial acceleration that is inversely proportional to the square of the radial distance from the sun. Such an acceleration regime would be realized under the minimagnetospheric plasma propulsion. The maximum attainable radial distance of the outbound trajectory is investigated, and a guidance scheme for achieving this target maximum distance is established under radial acceleration disturbances. The scheme not only provides a control law for continuous radial acceleration but also yields the amount and timing of impulsive maneuvers required to satisfy the guidance requirement at the terminal point.