Analytic solutions for intermediate-thrust arcs of rocket trajectories in a Newtonian field (Q1370948)

Mayer's variational problem of determining the optimum trajectories of a rocket moving with constant exhaust velocity and bounded mass flow rate in a Newtonian field is considered. New analytic solutions are obtained for plane intermediate-thrust arcs, using the canonical system of equations of the variational problem and the properties of the switching function. These solutions represent certain spiral trajectories. In motion with a fixed time, at arbitrary angular distances, these solutions satisfy Robbins' necessary optimum condition. As an example, the problem of minimizing the characteristic velocity of flight between elliptic orbits is considered.