Minimax optimal control for atmospheric fly-through trajectories

Necessary conditions for minimax problems with isolated or flat maxima are presented. Some relevant properties concerning the peak heating rate and the peak deceleration during atmospheric entry are discussed. As application of the theory, the problem of minimizing the peak heating rate of a skip trajectory is solved with special emphasis on the discussion of the continuity of the life control at the point where the maximum occurs along the trajectory.This research was supported by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Contract No. 916416, with Dr. K. D. Mease as project manager.