Global optimization of fuel consumption in rendezvous scenarios by the method of interval analysis

To reduce the optimal but large Δv of the fixed-short-time two impulse Lambert rendezvous between two spacecrafts along two coplanar circular orbits, the three-impulse Lambert rendezvous optimized via the optimization algorithm-interval analysis (IA) is proposed in this paper. The purpose of optimization is to minimize the velocity increment of the fixed-short-time three-impulse Lambert rendezvous. The optimization algorithm IA is given for solving the rendezvous optimization problem with multiple uncertain variables, and strong nonlinearity and nonconvexity. Numerical examples of the time-open, coplanar-circular-orbit, multiple-revolution Lambert rendezvous with a parking time optimized via the optimization algorithm IA are firstly undertaken to validate the feasibility of the optimization algorithm IA by comparing the optimization results with those of the globally optimal Hohmann transfer. The results indicate that the globally optimal parameters of the time-open coplanar-circular-orbit multiple-revolution Lambert rendezvous can be obtained by the optimization algorithm IA, and the initial separation angle of two spacecrafts with different orbit radius can be adjusted to obtain the globally optimal and small Δv by distributing an optimal parking time. After that, for the fixed-short-time two-impulse Lambert rendezvous problem without sufficient time to adjust the separation angle by distributing a parking time like the open-time Lambert rendezvous problem, three-impulse Lambert rendezvous involving multiple optimization variables is given and the variables are optimized by the optimization algorithm IA to obtain an optimal and small Δv. Numerical simulation indicates that the optimal and small Δv of the fixed short time, three-impulse Lambert rendezvous can be obtained using the optimization algorithm IA.