Multiple Space Debris Collecting Mission—Debris Selection and Trajectory Optimization

M. Cerf ()
Additional contact information
M. Cerf: EADS Astrium Space Transportation

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, 2013, vol. 156, issue 3, No 12, 796 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper investigates the cost requirement for a space debris collecting mission aimed at removing heavy debris from low Earth orbits. The problem mixes combinatorial optimization to select the debris among a list of candidates and functional optimization to define the orbital manoeuvres. The solving methodology proceeds in two steps: Firstly, a specific transfer strategy with impulsive manoeuvres is defined so that the problem becomes of finite dimension; secondly the problem is linearized around an initial reference solution. A Branch and Bound algorithm is then applied iteratively to optimize simultaneously the debris selection and the orbital manoeuvres, yielding a new reference solution. The optimal solutions found are close to the initial guess despite a very complicated design space. The method is exemplified on a representative application case.

Keywords: Space debris; Orbital mechanics; Branch and bound; Linear programming (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10957-012-0130-6 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:joptap:v:156:y:2013:i:3:d:10.1007_s10957-012-0130-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... cs/journal/10957/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10957-012-0130-6

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications is currently edited by Franco Giannessi and David G. Hull

More articles in Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().