Trajectory Optimization of the GEO Target Observation Mission Using the Parent-Child Spacecraft System

This study proposes an observation mission mode utilizing parent-child spacecraft to address the continuous hovering reconnaissance problem in the conical region beneath the GEO targets. During the transfer phase, trajectory optimization is achieved through the discretization of continuous observation constraints and penalty function formulation. For the recovery phase, an iterative optimization algorithm based on the multi-impulse optimal rendezvous theory is developed to determine the optimal impulse quantity and strategy under single-step magnitude constraints. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed method enables the child spacecraft to sustain a 30-minute continuous hovering within the target conical zone and successfully return to the parent spacecraft.