Multidisciplinary optimization of end-to-end Mars aerobraking trajectory and spacecraft design

This study presents a multidisciplinary optimization technique for designing an end-to-end Mars aerobraking trajectory coupled with spacecraft design. Unlike typical approaches that analyze aerobraking trajectories based on a predefined spacecraft design, this study concurrently optimizes the spacecraft design as well as the trajectory. The optimization process consists of two key stages. The first stage involves a heliocentric transfer from Earth to Mars, while the second focuses on the Mars arrival trajectory. This second stage includes a capture phase, an aerobraking campaign, and the science orbit insertion. The near-Mars dynamic model considers the zonal harmonics and atmospheric drag. Three reference optimizations are conducted and compared with the proposed method. The first reference is separated optimization that optimizes the heliocentric transfer and Mars arrival trajectory sequentially. The second is the fixed spacecraft design method without optimizing the spacecraft hardware parameter but using a predefined value while optimizing the same problem. The last is a direct transfer without aerobraking. The particle swarm optimization is used for all the optimizations. The proposed end-to-end Mars aerobraking trajectory optimization method, integrated with spacecraft design, demonstrates significant improvements in mission efficiency by quantifying its benefits.