Optimal V∞ leveraging maneuvers using gray solar sail

The aim of this paper is to analyze the performance of a solar sail-based spacecraft in a heliocentric V∞ leveraging maneuver. Assuming a circular restricted three-body framework, and using an optical force model for the description of the propulsive acceleration vector, this work quantifies the solar sail performance with an optimal approach, that is, by looking for the sail steering law that maximizes the hyperbolic excess velocity of the spacecraft relative to the [Earth+Moon] system. Such an optimized parameter is calculated in a number of mission scenarios to obtain a parametric analysis of the problem. The numerical simulations show that a solar sail with performance characteristics that comply with the state-of-the-art technology, is able to significantly enhance the launch hyperbolic excess velocity at the expense of a moderate increase in mission flight time.