Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming

Yu Qiao; Ping Ma; Ming Yang; Tao Chao

doi:10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3

Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming

Yu Qiao
, Ping Ma
, Ming Yang
, Tao Chao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Astronautics

Harbin Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

With growing demand for fuel-efficient space missions, aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) has become a critical focus in orbital dynamics research. This paper investigates fuel-optimal AOT trajectory optimization under complex constraints using sequential convex programming (SCP). The proposed method introduces auxiliary control variables to decouple state and control dynamics, effectively mitigating high-frequency oscillations caused by linearization. Successive linearization is applied to highly nonlinear dynamics, boundary equality constraints, path inequality constraints, and nonlinear performance indices. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the SCP algorithm outperforms GPOPS in solving fuel-optimal AOT problems, achieving superior solution optimality, path constraint satisfaction, and computational efficiency.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings
Editors	Wentong Cai, Malcolm Low, Gary Tan, Gabriele D'Angelo, Duong Ta
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	28-39
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	9789819544714
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3
State	Published - 2026
Event	24th Asia Simulation Conference on Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems, AsiaSim 2025 - Singapore, Singapore Duration: 17 Nov 2025 → 19 Nov 2025

Publication series

Name	Communications in Computer and Information Science
Volume	2727 CCIS
ISSN (Print)	1865-0929
ISSN (Electronic)	1865-0937

Conference

Conference	24th Asia Simulation Conference on Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems, AsiaSim 2025
Country/Territory	Singapore
City	Singapore
Period	17/11/25 → 19/11/25

Keywords

Aeroassisted orbital transfer
Sequential convex programming
Trajectory optimization

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10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3

Cite this

Qiao, Y., Ma, P., Yang, M., & Chao, T. (2026). Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming. In W. Cai, M. Low, G. Tan, G. D'Angelo, & D. Ta (Eds.), Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings (pp. 28-39). (Communications in Computer and Information Science; Vol. 2727 CCIS). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3

Qiao, Yu ; Ma, Ping ; Yang, Ming et al. / Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming. Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings. editor / Wentong Cai ; Malcolm Low ; Gary Tan ; Gabriele D'Angelo ; Duong Ta. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026. pp. 28-39 (Communications in Computer and Information Science).

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title = "Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming",

abstract = "With growing demand for fuel-efficient space missions, aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) has become a critical focus in orbital dynamics research. This paper investigates fuel-optimal AOT trajectory optimization under complex constraints using sequential convex programming (SCP). The proposed method introduces auxiliary control variables to decouple state and control dynamics, effectively mitigating high-frequency oscillations caused by linearization. Successive linearization is applied to highly nonlinear dynamics, boundary equality constraints, path inequality constraints, and nonlinear performance indices. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the SCP algorithm outperforms GPOPS in solving fuel-optimal AOT problems, achieving superior solution optimality, path constraint satisfaction, and computational efficiency.",

keywords = "Aeroassisted orbital transfer, Sequential convex programming, Trajectory optimization",

author = "Yu Qiao and Ping Ma and Ming Yang and Tao Chao",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026.; 24th Asia Simulation Conference on Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems, AsiaSim 2025 ; Conference date: 17-11-2025 Through 19-11-2025",

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publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

pages = "28--39",

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Qiao, Y, Ma, P , Yang, M & Chao, T 2026, Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming. in W Cai, M Low, G Tan, G D'Angelo & D Ta (eds), Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol. 2727 CCIS, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 28-39, 24th Asia Simulation Conference on Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems, AsiaSim 2025, Singapore, Singapore, 17/11/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3

Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming. / Qiao, Yu; Ma, Ping ; Yang, Ming et al.
Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings. ed. / Wentong Cai; Malcolm Low; Gary Tan; Gabriele D'Angelo; Duong Ta. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026. p. 28-39 (Communications in Computer and Information Science; Vol. 2727 CCIS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming

AU - Qiao, Yu

AU - Ma, Ping

AU - Yang, Ming

AU - Chao, Tao

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - With growing demand for fuel-efficient space missions, aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) has become a critical focus in orbital dynamics research. This paper investigates fuel-optimal AOT trajectory optimization under complex constraints using sequential convex programming (SCP). The proposed method introduces auxiliary control variables to decouple state and control dynamics, effectively mitigating high-frequency oscillations caused by linearization. Successive linearization is applied to highly nonlinear dynamics, boundary equality constraints, path inequality constraints, and nonlinear performance indices. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the SCP algorithm outperforms GPOPS in solving fuel-optimal AOT problems, achieving superior solution optimality, path constraint satisfaction, and computational efficiency.

AB - With growing demand for fuel-efficient space missions, aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) has become a critical focus in orbital dynamics research. This paper investigates fuel-optimal AOT trajectory optimization under complex constraints using sequential convex programming (SCP). The proposed method introduces auxiliary control variables to decouple state and control dynamics, effectively mitigating high-frequency oscillations caused by linearization. Successive linearization is applied to highly nonlinear dynamics, boundary equality constraints, path inequality constraints, and nonlinear performance indices. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the SCP algorithm outperforms GPOPS in solving fuel-optimal AOT problems, achieving superior solution optimality, path constraint satisfaction, and computational efficiency.

KW - Aeroassisted orbital transfer

KW - Sequential convex programming

KW - Trajectory optimization

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BT - Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings

A2 - Cai, Wentong

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A2 - Tan, Gary

A2 - D'Angelo, Gabriele

A2 - Ta, Duong

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

T2 - 24th Asia Simulation Conference on Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems, AsiaSim 2025

Y2 - 17 November 2025 through 19 November 2025

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Qiao Y, Ma P , Yang M , Chao T. Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming. In Cai W, Low M, Tan G, D'Angelo G, Ta D, editors, Methods and Applications for Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems - 24th Asia Simulation Conference, AsiaSim 2025, Proceedings. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2026. p. 28-39. (Communications in Computer and Information Science). doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4472-1_3

Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Optimization Using Sequential Convex Programming

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