Regularization and the computation of optimal trajectories

A completely regular form for the differential equations governing the three-dimensional motion of a continuously thrusting space vehicle is obtained by using the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel regularization. The differential equations for the thrusting rocket are transformed using the K-S transformation and an optimal trajectory problem is posed in the transformed space. The canonical equations for the optimal motion in the transformed space are regularized by a suitable change of the independent variable. The transformed equations are regular in the sense that the differential equations do not possess terms with zero divisors when the motion encounters a gravitational force center. The resulting equations possess symmetry in form and the coefficients of the dependent variables are slowly varying quantities for a low-thrust space vehicle.Presented at the Conference on Celestial Mechanics, Oberwolfach, Germany, August 17–23, 1969.