Genetic algorithm for minimizing the energy costs for the reorientation of the plane of the spacecraft orbit

In the quaternion formulation, the problem of optimal reorientation of the orbital plane of a spacecraft (SC) is considered. The control (acceleration from the vector of the jet thrust orthogonal to the plane of the orbit) is limited in magnitude. It is necessary to minimize energy costs for the reorientation of the plane of the spacecraft orbit. An actual special case of a problem when the spacecraft orbit is circular, and control assumes constant values in certain sections of the active motion of the spacecraft is considered. An original genetic algorithm for finding the trajectories of optimal spacecraft flights is constructed. No information about the unknown initial values of the conjugate variables is required when we apply this method. Examples of the numerical solution of the problem are given for the case when the difference between the initial and final orientations of the spacecraft orbit equals to a few degrees in angular measure. In this case, the final orientation of the plane of the spacecraft orbit corresponds to the orientation of the orbital plane of the satellites of the Russian GLONASS orbital grouping.