A metaheuristic optimisation algorithm for network-wide 4D trajectory mid-term planning in a Trajectory Based Operations environment

To accommodate the fast growing air traffic in a safe and efficient way, an ATM paradigm shift from current Time Based Operations towards Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) is envisioned. TBO entails the exchange, maintenance and use of consistent 4D trajectory information for collaborative decision-making on the flight. This thesis addresses a...

Optimizing Air-to-Air Missile Guidance using Reinforcement Learning

To increase performance of air-to-air missile guidance, a novel guidance law is developed using reinforcement learning methods. This guidance law is based on behavior obtained from optimal control methods and subsequently aims to approximate its performance. The study compares the developed guidance law to a traditional guidance law and optimal...

Distributed Collision Free Trajectory Optimization for the Reconfiguration of a Spacecraft Formation

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in formation flying with many lightweight spacecraft, as satellite missions can potentially become cheaper and more flexible. An example of such mission is the Silicon Wafer Integrated Femtosatellites mission, consisting of 100 to 1000 spacecraft with a mass of 0.1 kg. Due to modest control...

Optimization of Solar Sailcraft Trajectory for a Comet Sample Return Mission

Comets, the sporadic visitors from the outer edges of the Solar System, are considered to hold the key for understanding the formation of planets and the origin of life on Earth. Having spent the majority of time away from the radiative environment of the inner Solar System, the chemistry of the comets has remained unaltered, making them the...

Trajectory Optimization for Autonomous Navigation in Dynamic Environments

Motion planning for Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) in dynamic environments is an extensively studied and complex problem. State of the art methods provide approximate solutions that make conservative assumptions to provide safety and feasibility. We aim to outperform current methods by following a trajectory optimization-based approach,...

Bi-Level Optimal Control Algorithm for Climate Optimized Cruise Trajector: With En-route Step Climb and Descent Flight Modes

In the year 2050, global anthropogenic radiative forcing from aircraft emissions are projected to increase significantly. Recent studies have considered climate optimized flight trajectories to be a promising measure to mitigate non-CO2 emissions’ environmental impact, which is highly sensitive to locus and time of emissions. Estimating the...

Modelling and Optimization of Tilt-Rotor Aircraft Flight Trajectories

Tilt-rotor aircraft combine the helicopter’s benefit of VTOL capability and the flight performance that turboprops possess on range, speed and endurance. Tilt-rotor aircraft have the potential to decrease airport congestion and average flight delay in passenger transportation, while benefits are numerous in i.e. search and rescue, disaster...

Time-optimal solar sail transfers from Earth to pole-sitters at Mars and Venus

Recent studies have shown the feasibility of (quasi-)pole-sitter orbits at Mars and Venus, which involves a satellite positioned along or near the polar axis of a planet in order to have a continuous, hemispherical view of the planet's polar regions. In order to further demonstrate the feasibility of this mission concept, this thesis...

A Hybrid Optimal Control Approach to Multi-Aircraft Formation Flying

A Hybrid Optimal Control (HOC) framework which can be used in conjunction with existing optimal control software is presented. By using hybrid optimal control theory, trajectory optimization problems for systems that are both discrete time and continuous time from a mathematical perspective can be solved. A case study on multi-aircraft formation...

Reachability Analysis to Enable Zero-Wait Entry Guidance: Orbital Aborts to Enhance Mission Safety

The role of traditional entry guidance systems is to ensure that the vehicle is brought from a nominal entry interface point (EIP) to the neighborhood of a designated landing site at an acceptable energy state. Such systems are designed in such a way that the landing site can be safely reached even if off-nominal conditions are present at the...

Design of robust terminal procedures: By optimization of arrival and departure trajectories

With the growth of the air traffic movements and the population of people living around airports, the number of awakenings due to aircraft noise has increased. ICAO has defined four research fields to reduce noise and one of them is implementation of noise abatement operational procedures. This includes different trajectory optimization methods,...

Power-assisted dynamic soaring for a reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Multiple-Phase Trajectory Optimization for Formation Flight in Civil Aviation

A tool is developed that is able to optimize the trajectories of multiple aircraft that fly in formation in order to obtain the minimum total fuel consumption. Several experiments are conducted to investigate the benefits of formation flight for commercial aircraft. Finally, also the influences of wind and delay on the trajectories of the...

Tailored SID & Profile Allocation for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Currently, only one Standard Instrument Departure (SID) track and one flight procedure is used per runway departure fix combination. In contrast to tailored arrivals, the potential benefit of tailored departures has been left relatively undiscovered. The research objective is to quantify the potential benefit of tailored SID-s and profile...

Optimal long-haul Trajectories in a Wind Field

The long-haul flights of airlines are impacted by the en-route wind fields. Flights on the same route with different directions may have significantly different flight performances. It may benefit to airlines in terms of fuel cost and on-time performance if the optimal long-haul routes are able to plan. However, the wind direction and strength...

Trajectory Optimization for a Mission to the Solar Bow Shock and Minor Planets

In November 2003 the Voyager 1 spacecraft pierced through the Solar system’s termination shock, followed by Voyager 2 in August 2007. These events marked the beginning of interstellar exploration by spacecraft, which caused a wave of renewed interest in the outer heliosphere throughout the scienti?c community. This thesis research investigated...

Terminal area energy management trajectory optimization using interval analysis

Interval analysis applied to re-entry flight trajectory optimization

Trajectory optimization is an essential part of space plane mission design. One important aspect of trajectory optimization for re-entry vehicles is to minimize the total heat load at the surface when it returns and the heat flux should remain below certain limit, meanwhile, the vehicle should land at the desired point. The methods used for re...