Geometric optimal control and applications to aerospace

This article deals with applications of optimal control to aerospace problems with a focus on modern geometric optimal control tools and numerical continuation techniques. Geometric optimal control is a theory combining optimal control with various concepts of differential geometry. The ultimate objective is to derive optimal synthesis results for general classes of control systems. Continuation or homotopy methods consist in solving a series of parameterized problems, starting from a simple one to end up by continuous deformation with the initial problem. They help overcoming the difficult initialization issues of the shooting method. The combination of geometric control and homotopy methods improves the traditional techniques of optimal control theory.