Two-phase Trajectory Planning Method for Robust Planetary Landing in a Sensor-equipped Area

This article addresses the planetary landing problem by considering uncertainties and leveraging the presence of a detection area where precise measurements are available. The flight consists of two distinct phases: the first phase, subject to a high level of uncertainties, and the second phase, during which the vehicle is feedback controlled to ensure precise landing. We propose a deterministic optimal control method to plan the trajectory of the initial phase, aiming to minimize fuel consumption for the entire trajectory while satisfying a probabilistic constraint that ensures the vehicle reaches the detection zone with a specified threshold.