INTERPLANETARY TRAJECTORIES
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to prepare the student the design of trajectories for interplanetary missions both in theoretical and applied terms. To this end, the study of topics, both basic and advanced, is constantly supported by numerical applications. The tools needed for simulations, are developed by students during the course and applied to real missions.
Channel 1
CHRISTIAN CIRCI
Lecturers' profile
Program - Frequency - Exams
Course program
Introduction to the solar system. Titius-Bode law. Spheres of influence: expressions of Laplace and Tisserand Broglio. Method of patched-conics. Lambert's problem. . Optimization of interplanetary trajectories. Indirect Methods: Calculus of Variations. Euler-Lagrange and transversality equations. Optimal control for linear systems. Riccati differential equation. Direct methods: Collocation technique for solving optimal trajectories. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Interpolating polynomials: Jacobi, Legendre and Chebyshev. The circular restricted three-body problem. Linear and non-linear dynamics around the Lagrangian points: Lissajous and Halo trajectories. The four-body problem. Weak Stability Boundaries transfers. The case of the Moon and Belbruno transfers. Solar Sails: solar radiation force, reference systems, ideal and optical thrust model.
Prerequisites
consolidated knowledge of space flight mechanics and experience in matlab programming
Books
lecture notes and copies of book chapters
Frequency
classroom lessons
Exam mode
evaluation of the numerical exercises proposed during the course and oral questions on the program
Lesson mode
Oral exam in presence
- Lesson code10606345
- Academic year2025/2026
- CourseSpace and astronautical engineering
- CurriculumSpace missions and exploration (percorso formativo valido anche ai fini del conseguimento del doppio titolo italo-portoghese e il doppio titolo con Georgia institute of technology and Georgia Tech Lorraine)
- Year2nd year
- Semester1st semester
- SSDING-IND/03
- CFU6