Minimum Transfer Time for a Power-Limited Rocket

Abstract

The problem considered is that of determining the acceleration program leading to minimum transfer time for a power-limited rocket moving between prescribed positions and velocities in a constant gravitational field. It is found that flight must take place at maximum power and that the thrust-acceleration components are linear functions of time. The case of rectilinear transfer between positions of rest is treated in detail, and the results are compared with those previously obtained for a constant-acceleration transfer.