Attitude & orbit control technique and optimal control in trajectory optimization at Thales Alenia Space

Overview & Synopsis

In the last past years, low-thrust propulsion has evolved from a technological concept to a realistic option for interplanetary missions, it was considered first for very challenging trajectories to the inner planets, but now also for more classical ones, to Mars or the Moon. After Deep-Space 1, the first demonstration mission of the us of low-thrust propulsion for interplanetary missions and Smart 1 to the Moon, it becomes the baseline complex interplanetary mission In that context, Thales Alenia Space as increase its engineering capacity in interplanetary complex missions using chemical and/or low thrust propulsion