Space vehicle orbit transfer optimization based on direct transcription and simulated annealing genetic algorithm

A direct numerical approach for space vehicle trajectory optimization was proposed. The direct transcription with Simpson quadrature was used for discretization of constrained optimal control problem. The genetic algorithm with simulated annealing penalty function was used for global search. The application to space vehicle orbit transfer optimization indicated that this method could improve the sensitive problem of initial guess effectively, attain to the global optimal result and avoid the appearance of ill-conditioned gradient. It is a good reference for the preliminary schematic trajectory design of space vehicle as well.