Approximate Analytical Solution of the Multiple Revolution Lambert’s Targeting Problem

Abstract

An approximate analytical solution of the multiple revolution Lambert's targeting problem is presented. The solution is obtained starting from Battin's optimum single-impulse transfer with a linear phasing correction and offers remarkable accuracy near minimum delta-V transfer conditions. Consequently, the method is useful for rapidly obtaining low delta-V solutions for interplanetary trajectory optimization. The solution is easy to program and non-iterative, which makes it ideal for GPU implementation. In addition, the method can be employed to provide a fast first guess solution for enhancing the convergence speed of an accurate numerical multi-revolution Lambert solver.