Optimal low-thrust orbital transfer for servicing multiple satellites in elliptical orbits

This paper addresses the problem of finding the optimal sequence and trajectory for a servicer satellite that has to visit multiple client satellites, minimizing the fuel spent and satisfying Keplerian dynamics and low-thrust propulsion constraints. The cost of each transfer is evaluated through two different functions: an analytical cost function based on Edelbaum’s theory (three orbital elements transfer), and a Q-law based cost function (five orbital elements transfer). The global optimal sequence is found by using mixed integer linear programming. The proposed methodology is demonstrated on two datasets of satellites located in near-circular and high-eccentricity orbits, respectively. The computation results show a high performance in terms of computational time and accuracy. • Solving optimal trajectory planning for low-thrust multi-client servicing missions. • No assumptions on client orbits characteristics; adaptable for elliptical orbits. • Assessing single-target transfer costs using two tailored near-optimal metrics. • Reducing complexity with a minimal Mixed-Integer Linear Programming formulation. • Testing on Medium Earth Orbit datasets to minimize fuel in multi-client trajectories.