Solar sail optimal maneuvers for heliocentric orbit apse line rotation.

The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of a solar sail-based spacecraft in an optimal apse line rotation maneuver. Considering a heliocentric two-body motion and a low-performance solar sail with an ideal force model, this study derives the optimal steering law that maximizes the final rotation angle of the osculating orbit apse line. Starting from an approximated (Gaussian) form of the Lagrange's planetary equations, the achievable argument of periapsis and the required flight times are obtained in a parametric way, for given values of parking orbit eccentricity and sail (reference) propulsive acceleration, as the solutions of an optimal control problem. The numerical simulations show that, for sufficiently large values of the orbit eccentricity, the maximum argument of periapsis is roughly proportional to the sail (reference) propulsive acceleration. An approximate locally-optimal steering law is also derived, and the results of the optimization problem are applied to Earth- and Venus-following orbits, where the planets trajectories are assumed to be circular and coplanar with the spacecraft parking orbit. • The work analyzes the apse line rotation maneuver of a solar sail-based spacecraft. • A heliocentric mission scenario is considered in the mathematical model. • The problem is solved in an optimal framework using an indirect approach. • The paper presents a set of graphs and approximate expressions to solve the problem. • A mission application involving a planet-following mission scenario is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]