Symmetry Properties of Optimal Relative Orbit Trajectories

The determination of minimum-fuel or minimum-time relative orbit trajectories represents a classical topic in astrodynamics. This work illustrates some symmetry properties that hold for optimal relative paths and can considerably simplify their determination. The existence of symmetry properties is demonstrated in the presence of certain boundary conditions for the problems of interest, described by the linear Euler-Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations of relative motion. With regard to minimum-fuel paths, the primer vector theory predicts the existence of several powered phases, divided by coast arcs. In general, the optimal thrust sequence and duration depend on the time evolution of the switching function. In contrast, a minimum-time trajectory is composed of a single continuous-thrust phase. The first symmetry property concerns minimum-fuel and minimum-time orbit paths, both in two and in three dimensions. The second symmetry property regards minimum-fuel relative trajectories. Several examples illustrate the usefulness of these properties in determining minimum-time and minimum-fuel relative paths.