@inproceedings{GehlerOberBloebaumDachwald2009,
  author    = {Gehler, M. and Ober-Bl{\"o}baum, S. and Dachwald, Bernd},
  title     = {Application of discrete mechanics and optimal control to spacecraft in non-keplerian motion around small solar system bodies},
  series = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress},
  booktitle = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  isbn      = {978-161567908-9},
  pages     = {1360 -- 1371},
  year      = {2009},
  abstract  = {Prolonged operations close to small solar system bodies require a sophisticated control logic to minimize propellant mass and maximize operational efficiency. A control logic based on Discrete Mechanics and Optimal Control (DMOC) is proposed and applied to both conventionally propelled and solar sail spacecraft operating at an arbitrarily shaped asteroid in the class of Itokawa. As an example, stand-off inertial hovering is considered, recently identified as a challenging part of the Marco Polo mission. The approach is easily extended to stand-off orbits. We show that DMOC is applicable to spacecraft control at small objects, in particular with regard to the fact that the changes in gravity are exploited by the algorithm to optimally control the spacecraft position. Furthermore, we provide some remarks on promising developments.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{LoebSchartnerDachwaldetal.2011,
  author    = {Loeb, Horst W. and Schartner, Karl-Heinz and Dachwald, Bernd and Ohndorf, Andreas and Seboldt, Wolfgang},
  title     = {An Interstellar - Heliopause mission using a combination of solar/radioisotope electric propulsion},
  series = {Presented at the 32nd International Electric Propulsion Conference},
  booktitle = {Presented at the 32nd International Electric Propulsion Conference},
  pages     = {1 -- 7},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {There is common agreement within the scientific community that in order to understand our local galactic environment it will be necessary to send a spacecraft into the region beyond the solar wind termination shock. Considering distances of 200 AU for a new mission, one needs a spacecraft travelling at a speed of close to 10 AU/yr in order to keep the mission duration in the range of less than 25 yrs, a transfer time postulated by ESA.Two propulsion options for the mission have been proposed and discussed so far: the solar sail propulsion and the ballistic/radioisotope electric propulsion. As a further alternative, we here investigate a combination of solar-electric propulsion and radioisotope-electric propulsion. The solar-electric propulsion stage consists of six 22 cm diameter "RIT-22"ion thrusters working with a high specific impulse of 7377 s corresponding to a positive grid voltage of 5 kV. Solar power of 53 kW BOM is provided by a light-weight solar array. The REP-stage consists of four space-proven 10 cm diameter "RIT-10" ion thrusters that will be operating one after the other for 9 yrs in total. Four advanced radioisotope generators provide 648 W at BOM. The scientific instrument package is oriented at earlier studies. For its mass and electric power requirement 35 kg and 35 W are assessed, respectively. Optimized trajectory calculations, treated in a separate contribution, are based on our "InTrance" method.The program yields a burn out of the REP stage in a distance of 79.6 AU for a usage of 154 kg of Xe propellant. With a C3 = 45,1 (km/s)2 a heliocentric probe velocity of 10 AU/yr is reached at this distance, provided a close Jupiter gravity assist adds a velocity increment of 2.7 AU/yr. A transfer time of 23.8 yrs results for this scenario requiring about 450 kg Xe for the SEP stage, jettisoned at 3 AU. We interpret the SEP/REP propulsion as a competing alternative to solar sail and ballistic/REP propulsion. Omiting a Jupiter fly-by even allows more launch flexibility, leaving the mission duration in the range of the ESA specification.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{DachwaldSeboldtLoebetal.2007,
  author    = {Dachwald, Bernd and Seboldt, Wolfgang and Loeb, Horst W. and Schartner, Karl-Heinz},
  title     = {A comparison of SEP and NEP for a main belt asteroid sample return mission},
  series = {7th International Symposium on Launcher Technologies, Barcelona, Spain, 02-05 April 2007},
  booktitle = {7th International Symposium on Launcher Technologies, Barcelona, Spain, 02-05 April 2007},
  pages     = {1 -- 10},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Innovative interplanetary deep space missions, like a main belt asteroid sample return mission, require ever larger velocity increments (∆V s) and thus ever more demanding propulsion capabilities. Providing much larger exhaust velocities than chemical high-thrust systems, electric low-thrust space-propulsion systems can significantly enhance or even enable such high-energy missions. In 1995, a European-Russian Joint Study Group (JSG) presented a study report on "Advanced Interplanetary Missions Using Nuclear-Electric Propulsion" (NEP). One of the investigated reference missions was a sample return (SR) from the main belt asteroid (19) Fortuna. The envisaged nuclear power plant, Topaz-25, however, could not be realized and also the worldwide developments in space reactor hardware stalled. In this paper, we investigate, whether such a mission is also feasible using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) system and compare our SEP results to corresponding NEP results.},
  language  = {en}
}