A method for the constructing of optimal trajectories in a strictly central gravity field

Abstract

A novel method for constructing optimal flight trajectories of an electric
propulsion spacecraft between far elliptical orbits in a central gravitational
field is developed. An optimisation of the flight from the low Earth orbit to
an almost geostationary orbit is done. For this maneuver, the payload mass
increase affected by an energy storage in the engine system is estimated.