Issues in the direct transcription of optimal control problems to sparse nonlinear programs
Computational optimal control
Mathematics and Computers in Simulation
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Trajectory optimization-finding the best way to "steer" a vehicle as it travels from one point to another-is a problem the aerospace industry faces often. For a high-performance fighter aircraft, this might mean trying to go from one altitude to another as quickly as possible to minimize flight time. An optimal trajectory for a spacecraft in orbit might require minimizing fuel consumption. When computing the reentry path for a vehicle, such as the space shuttle, it is often useful to construct the steering to minimize aerodynamic heating. Performance analysts encounter a wide variety of problems when determining such trajectory optimizations-all of which can be formulated mathematically as optimal-control problems.