OPTIMAL CONTROL OF REPEAT GROUND-TRACK ORBIT IN HIGH-FIDELITY DYNAMICAL MODEL VIA SECOND-ORDER CONE PROGRAMMING

A method for the design and control for Repeat Ground-Track (RGT) orbits in high-fidelity dynamics is presented. The method is based on the use of the high-order expansion of Poincaré maps to propagate regions of the phase space forward in time for one, or more, repeating cycles. This allows us to identify initial conditions than ensure the repetition of ground-tracks with high accuracy. These conditions are targeted by the spacecraft with a multiple-impulse control strategy that is optimized via Second-Order Cone Programming (SOCP). The resulting approach is suitable for both high-and low-thrust propulsion systems and can be implemented onboard thanks to the convex formulation of the problem.