Abstract:

The interplanetary flight of a small spacecraft as part of a mission to Mars with an electric propulsion system using an upper stage during departure from the Earth is being considered. The key characteristics of the spacecraft as well as engine parameters are discussed, and the problem of optimizing the interplanetary section of the trajectory of the spacecraft is set. Based on the Pontryagin maximum principle and taking into account the known characteristics of the engine, a flight trajectory optimal in terms of fuel mass is built. The optimization takes into account the additional fuel costs of fending off eccentricity using orientation engines. The effect of degradation of solar panels on fuel consumption during flight is being studied. Crosslinking with the trajectory of the twist to Mars is implemented.