Orbital maneuvers with finite thrust. Volume 1: Mathematical formulation, numerical methods, catalog concept

A reference catalog from which quantitative information about orbital maneuvers with finite thrust can be extracted was produced. The catalog enables engineers to predict the propellant consumption for a given orbital maneuver with finite thrust, to select the proper propulsion system, and to trade off the different thrust policies required to achieve given final orbit conditions. The catalog contains velocity increment losses and apsidal radius change and the line of apsides drift. A software package to calculate a single transfer maneuver as well as a manifold of transfer cases condensed into catalog charts was developed.