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Virginia Tech

Singular optimal atmospheric rocket trajectories

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Singular subarcs arise in quite a few problems of flight dynamics. The present study is devoted to the specific problem of ascent and acceleration of a vehicle in atmospheric flight in which a variable-thrust arc forms a part of the optimal trajectory. A two-parameter family of singular arcs was generated for time-range-fuel problems of an ascending rocket, using the modelling of Zlatskiy and Kiforenko. The short-term optimality of the singular subarcs has been checked in terms of certain necessary conditions: the classical Clebsch condition, the Kelley condition or the Generalized Legendre-Clebsch condition and the Goh condition. All these are found to be satisfied computationally for all the candidates. The calculations were repeated for simplified thrust-along-the-path modelling and similar results on optimality obtained.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Aerospace Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Aerospace Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1986

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Kumar, Renjith R.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Kelley, Henry J.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Cliff, Eugene M.
  • Lutze, Frederick H. Jr.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-07072010-020410
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43577

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Kumar, Renjith R.. Singular optimal atmospheric rocket trajectories. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/43577