Summary

This monograph has grown out of the authors' recent work directed toward solving a family of problems which arise in maneuvering modern spacecraft. The work ranges from fundamental developments in analytical dynamics and optimal control to a significant collection of example applications. The primary emphasis herein is upon the most central analytical and numerical methods for determining optimal rotational maneuvers of spacecraft. The authors focus especially upon the large angle nonlinear maneuvers, and also consider large rotational maneuvers of flexible vehicles with simultaneous vibration suppression/arrest. Each chapter includes a list of references. The book provides much new material which will be of great interest to practising professionals and advanced graduate students working in the general areas of spacecraft technology, applied mathematics, optimal control theory, and numerical optimization. Chapter 11 in particular presents new information that will be found widely useful for terminal control and tracking maneuvers.