Complete Integral of Primer-Vector Equations for Transfers in a Central Gravitational Field

Abstract: This paper demonstrates the existence of a complete integral for the system of differential equations of Lawden's primer-vector, which is used in the optimization of space transfers in a central gravitational field. The derived complete integral has been shown to significantly reduce the order of the differential system for the primer-vector from sixth to second, thereby simplifying the optimization problem into a boundary value problem with four parameters. The presence of a complete integral enables the exclusion of the transversality conditions, which introduce significant complexity to the boundary value problem. The problem of transfer optimization is considerably simplified due to the existence of the full integral and generating solutions. The analysis reveals that, depending on the given constraints, there are six types of optimization problems, each corresponding to a specific boundary value problem.