Trajectory design for Phobos flyby missions by aero-assisted rendezvous

Abstract Aero-assisted maneuvering has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its fuel efficiency compared to traditional orbital maneuvers. This paper designs an aero-assisted flyby trajectory for Phobos detection through a proposed trajectory generation scheme. The scheme divides the design process into two main components: phase selection and periapsis altitude shooting. Phase selection is based on a point-by-point optimization strategy, and the impact of target and spacecraft phase choices on rendezvous terminal error is analyzed. The periapsis shooting method rapidly determines the periapsis altitude that meets terminal altitude constraints of the trajectory using a bisection iterative approach. Detailed design principles of the method and simulation analyses are provided. Additionally, the design scheme accounts for constraints related to heating rate, dynamic pressure, and load factors, and it is validated through simulation results.