Orbit design and optimization based on global telecommunication performance metrics

The orbit selection of telecommunications orbiters is one of the critical design processes and should be guided by mission-specific performance metrics and constraints. In order to aid the orbit selection process, we have coupled the telecom orbit analysis and simulation tool (TOAST) with genetic optimization algorithms. As a demonstration, we have applied the developed tool to find the optimal orbit for Mars orbiters with the constraint of traveling on a frozen orbit and the optimization goal of minimizing the telecommunication gap time. For the measurement of the gap time, several relevant metrics are constructed: 1) area-weighted average gap time, 2) global maximum of local maximum gap time, 3) global maximum of local minimum gap time. Optimal solutions are found for each type of metrics. Common features and differences between the optimal solutions as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each metric are presented. The optimal solutions are compared with several candidate orbits that were considered during the development of the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter mission