Generalized hp pseudospectral convex programming for powered descent and landing

In this paper a generalized hp method is combined with pseudospectral methods and convex optimization to provide a high-accuracy, real-time capable method able to compute optimal trajectories for planetary powered descent and landing phases of a spacecraft. The benefits of the method are demonstrated for the Mars Science Laboratory study case. Numerical simulations show that the method provides a suitable alternative to the standard convex approaches, and represents a good trade-off between accuracy and computational speed.