Deep Space Mission Design Laboratory　　ISAS/JAXA

日本語

Kawakatsu Lab - 川勝研究室 -

Research Field

Astrodynamics Focused on Trajectory Planning

Astrodynamics has a long history beginning from 17th century, when Isaac Newton introduced his theories. Astrodynamics studies motion and equilibrium of celestial bodies based on Newton’s law of universal gravitation and it is the basics of Astronomy.

It has been developed so early that one might think that there’s no chance of developing it any further. However, increase in PC performance and technical developments like ion propulsion and solar sailing create a new field in astrodynamics.

Main hot topics in astrodynamics are Low-thrust, Swing-by and Restricted three-body problem. Low-thrust propulsion systems, ion engine in HAYABUSA or solar sailing of IKAROS, has higher efficiency than traditional propulsion system. Swing-by is technique used to change the velocity and/or direction of spacecraft by using gravity of celestial body. Restricted three-body problem(R3BP) research un/stable point called Lagrange point or Halo orbit around Lagrange points.

The right figure shows the result of trajectory optimization in the HAYABUSA's case. HAYABUSA traveled from the Earth to Itokawa by using Low-thrust and Swing-by.

Mission Design and System Development for Deep Space Spacecraft

Mission design and System development are also our research topics. These topics require a wide range of knowledge including linear algebra, statistics, programming, astrodynamics, and satellite design. You could fill up the lack of knowledge in the practice while doing your research.

Publications(Selected)

Peer-reviewed

2020 +

1. Ozaki, N., Campagnola, S., and Funase, R. “Tube Stochastic Optimal Control for Nonlinear Constrained Trajectory Optimization Problems.” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 43, No. 4, 2020, pp. 645–655. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G004363.
2. Ozaki, N., Chikazawa, T., Kakihara, K., Ishikawa, A., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Extended Robust Planetary Orbit Insertion Method Under Probabilistic Uncertainties.” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 57, No. 6, 2020, pp. 1153–1164. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.A34755.

2019 +

1. Çelik, O., Baresi, N., Ballouz, R.-L., Ogawa, K., Wada, K., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Ballistic Deployment from Quasi-Satellite Orbits around Phobos under Realistic Dynamical and Surface Environment Constraints.” Planetary and Space Science, Vol. 178, 2019, p. 104693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.06.010.

2018 +

1. Campagnola, S., Yam, C. H., Tsuda, Y., Ogawa, N., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Mission Analysis for the Martian Moons Explorer (MMX) Mission.” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 146, 2018, pp. 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2018.03.024.
2. Sarli, B. V., Horikawa, M., Yam, C. H., Kawakatsu, Y., and Yamamoto, T. “DESTINY+ Trajectory Design to (3200) Phaethon.” The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 65, No. 1, 2018, pp. 82–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40295-017-0117-5.

2017 +

1. Victorino Sarli, B., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Selection and Trajectory Design to Mission Secondary Targets.” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 127, No. 2, 2017, pp. 233–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-016-9724-x.
2. Ozaki, N., Kawabata, Y., Takeuchi, H., Ichikawa, T., Funase, R., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Constrained Optimal Flyby Guidance Algorithm by Iterative Two-Stage Stochastic Programming.” SICE Journal of Control, Measurement, and System Integration, Vol. 10, No. 3, 2017, pp. 192–197. https://doi.org/10.9746/jcmsi.10.192.

2016 +

1. Chen, H., Kawakatsu, Y., and Hanada, T. “Phasing Delta-V for Transfers from Sun–Earth Halo Orbits to the Moon.” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 127, 2016, pp. 464–473. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.05.003.
2. Chen, H., Kawakatsu, Y., and Hanada, T. “Earth Escape from a Sun-Earth Halo Orbit Using Unstable Manifold and Lunar Swingbys.” Transactions of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Vol. 59, No. 5, 2016, pp. 269–277. https://doi.org/10.2322/tjsass.59.269.

2015 +

1. Bruno Victorino Sarli,Kaito Ariu,Hajime Yano.” PROCYON’s probability analysis of accidental impact on Mars”,Advances in Space Research. Vol.57, pp2003, 1 May, 2015.
2. Campagnola, S., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Design of the Recovery Trajectory for JAXA Venus Orbiter Akatsuki.” The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 62, No. 4, 2015, pp. 298–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40295-015-0074-9.
3. Sarli, B. V., Kawakatsu, Y., and Arai, T. “Design of a Multiple Flyby Mission to the Phaethon–Geminid Complex.” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2015, pp. 739–745. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.A33130.
4. Sarli, B. V., and Kawakatsu, Y. “Orbit Transfer Optimization for Asteroid Missions Using Weighted Cost Function.” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 38, No. 7, 2015, pp. 1241–1250. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G000359.

2012-2014 +

1. Masaki Nakamiya, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu. "Transfer Trajectories from the Moon to Sun-Earth Halo Orbits" Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics. Vol. 37, No. 3, May-June 2014.
2. Campagnola, S., Buffington, B. B., Petropoulos, A. E. , Jovian tour design for orbiter and lander missions to Europa. Acta Astronautica, 2014, Vol. 100, pp. 6881, DOI:10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.02.005.
3. Campagnola, S., Boutonnet, A., Schoenmaekers, J., Grebow,D.J., Petropoulos, A. E., Russell, R. P., Tisserand-Leveraging Transfers, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 12021210, 2014. DOI:10.2514/1.62369.
4. Campagnola, S., Boutonnet, A., Martens, W., Masters, A. Mission design for the exploration of Neptune and Triton (IEEE Aerospace and Electronics Systems Magazine, in print.
5. Masato Nakamura, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Chikako Hirose, Takeshi Imamura, Nobuaki Ishii, Takumi Abe, Atsushi Yamazaki, Manabu Yamada, Kazunori Ogohara, Kazunori Uemizu, Tetsuya Fukuhara, Shoko Ohtsuki, Takehiko Satoh, Makoto Suzuki, Munetaka Ueno, Junichi Nakatsuka, Naomoto Iwagami, Makoto Taguchi, Shigeto Watanabe, Yukihiro Takahashi, George L. Hashimoto, Hiroki Yamamoto. "Return to Venus of the Japanese Venus Climate Orbiter AKATSUKI" Acta Astronautica. 93 (2014) pp.384-389, 30 July, 2013.
6. Sugimoto, Y. and Van der Ha, J.C., “Thermal Radiation Modeling for Interplanetary Spacecraft Orbit Propagation,” Transaction of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Aerospace Technology Japan, Vol. 10, No. ists28, pp. Pd 33-38, January 26, 2013
7. Campagnola S., Russell R., Skerritt P., Flybys in the planar, circular, restricted, three-body problem, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 113, No. 3, pp. 343-368, 2012, DOI: 10.1007/s10569-012-9427-x.
8. Campagnola, S. and Kawakatsu, Y.,Jupiter Magnetospheric Orbiter: Trajectory Design in the Jovian System, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 318-324, 2012, DOI: 10.2514/1.A32055.
9. Campagnola, S. and Kawakatsu, Y., Three-Dimensional Resonant Hopping Strategies and the Jupiter Magnetospheric Orbiter, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 35, No. 1, January-February 2012, pp. 340-344, 2012, DOI: 10.2514/1.53334.

International Conference Proceedings

2020 +

1. Dei Tos, D. A., Yamamoto, T., Ozaki, N., Tanaka, Y., Gonzalez-Franquesa, F., Pushparaj, N., Celik, O., Takashima, T., Nishiyama, K., and Kawakatsu, Y., "Operations-Driven Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization with Applications to DESTINY+," 2020. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-2182
2. Ozaki, N., Chikazawa, T., Kakihara, K., Ishikawa, A., and Kawakatsu, Y. Extended Robust Planetary Orbit Insertion Method Under Probabilistic Uncertainties. 2020. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0469
3. Pushparaj, N., Baresi, N., and Kawakatsu, Y. Design of Transfer Trajectories Between Planar and Spatial Quasi-Satellite Orbits. 2020. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-2179

2019 +

1. Yamamoto, T., Ozaki, N., Dei Tos, D. A., Celik, O., Tanaka, Y., Gonzalez-Franquesa, F., Kawakatsu, Y.,"DESTINY+ Low thrust trajectory design from Earth orbit to Asteroids flyby",70th International Astronautical Congress,Washington,Oct 21-25,2019.
2. Baresi, N., Dei Tos, D. A., Ikeda, H., and Kawakatsu, Y., "Orbit Design and Maintenance in the Elliptical Hill Problem with Applications to the Phobos Sample Return Mission MMX",70th International Astronautical Congress,Washington,Oct 21-25,2019.
3. Tanaka, Y., Yoshimura, H., and Kawakatsu, Y., "Design of low energy escape trajectory and delta-V reduction",70th International Astronautical Congress,Washington,Oct 21-25,2019.
4. Chikazawa, T., Baresi, N., Ozaki, N., Campagnola, S., and Kawakatsu, Y., "Science Orbits Design for the Lunar CubeSat EQUULEUS and for the Phobos Sample Return Mission MMX", 29th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Maui, Jan 13-17, 2019.
5. Ichinomiya, K., Baresi, N., Kawakatsu, Y., Yanao, T., "Quasi-satellite orbit transfers via multi-revolutional periodic orbits", 29th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Maui, Jan 13-17, 2019.
6. Takemura, K., Baresi, N., Kawakatsu, Y., Yoshimura, H., "Low energy escape using tube dynamics associated with quasi-halo orbit", 29th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Maui, Jan 13-17, 2019.
7. Ozaki, N., Campagnola, S., Funase, R., "Tube Stochastic Optimal Control for Nonlinear Constrained Trajectory Optimization Problems", 29th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Maui, Jan 13-17, 2019.

2018 +

1. Campagnola, S., Hernando-Ayuso, J., Kakihara, K., Kawabata, Y., Chikazawa, T., Funase, R., Ozaki, N., Baresi, N., Hashimoto, T., Kawakatsu, Y., Ikenaga, T., Oguri, K., and Oshima, K. “Mission Analysis for the EM-1 CubeSats EQUULEUS and OMOTENASHI.” 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Oct 1-5, 2018.
2. Kawakatsu, Y., Kuramoto, K., Usui, T., Ikeda, H., Ozaki, N., Baresi, N., Ono, G., Imada, T., Shimada, T., Kusano, H., Sawada, H., Ozawa, T., Baba, M.,and Otake, H. “Mission design of Martian moons exploration (MMX).” 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Oct 1-5, 2018.
3. Celik, O., Baresi, N., Ballouz, R.-L., Kawakatsu, Y. “High Fidelity Simulations of Ballistic Small Body Landers.” 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Oct 1-5, 2018.
4. Baresi, N., Dell'Elce, L., Dos Santos, J.C., Kawakatsu, Y. “Orbit Maintenance of Quasi-Satellite Trajectories via Mean Relative Orbit Elements.” 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Oct 1-5, 2018.
5. Imada, T., Kawakatsu, Y. "Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Mission and Vehicle Concept", 15th International Space Conference of Pacific-basin Societies, Montreal, Jul 10-13, 2018.
6. Kayama, Y., Saiki, T., and Kawakatsu, Y. "Efficiency Improvement of Trajectory Design by Elucidating the Mechanical Structure of Swing-By in Multi-Body Dynamics System." 28th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Kissimmee, Jan 8-12, 2018.

2017 +

1. Suda, S., Kawakatsu, Y., Sawai, S., Nagata, H., and Totani, T., "Orbit Manipulation by use of Lunar Swing-by on a Hyperbolic Trajectory",The 27th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,San Antonio,USA,Feb 5-9,2017.
2. Tawara, K., Kawakatsu, Y., Ogawa, N.,"Deimos observation trajectory options for phobos sample return mission",The 27th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,San Antonio,USA,Feb 5-9,2017.
3. Kawakatsu, Y., Kuramoto, K., Ogawa, N., Ikeda, H., Mimasu, Y., Ono, G., Sawada, H., Yoshikawa, K., Imada, T., Otake, H., Kusano, H., Yamada, K., Otsuki, M., Baba, M.,"Mission concept of martian moons eXploration (MMX)." 68th International Astronautical Congress, Adelaide, Sep 25-29, 2017.

2016 +

1. Sarli, B.V., Yam, C.H., Horikawa, M., and Kawakatsu, Y., "Low-thrust trajectory design for the destiny mission to (3200) Phaethon," The 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,Napa,USA,Feb 14-18,2016.
2. Horikawa, M., Kawakatsu, Y., and Yoshimura, H., "Low energy escape trajectory for the Mars moon sample return mission," The 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,Napa,USA,Feb 14-18,2016.
3. Kawabata, Y., and Kawakatsu, Y., "On-board orbit determination using sun sensor and Optical Navigation Camera for interplanetary trajectory," The 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,Napa,USA,Feb 14-18,2016.
4. Yam, C.H., Campagnola, S., Kawakatsu, Y., and Shing, M.T., "Feasibility regions of boundary value problems of low-thrust trajectories," The 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting,Napa,USA,Feb 14-18,2016.
5. Campagnola, S., Ozaki, N., Oguri, K., Verspieren, Q., Kakihara, K., Yanagida, K., Funase, R., Yam, C.H., Ferella, L., Yamaguchi, T., Kawakatsu, Y., Kayama, Y., Suda, S., and Yarnoz, D.G.,"Mission analysis for JAXA's Earth-Moon libration-orbit cubesat." 67th International Astronautical Congress,Mexicanos,Sep 26-30,2016.
6. Horikawa, M., Saiki, T., Kawakatsu, Y., and Yoshimura, H.,"Escape Trajectories for Martian Moons eXplorer using Chemical and Electric Propulsion",2016 AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference,Long Beach,USA,Sep 13-16,2016.
7. Ozaki, N., Kawabata, Y., Takeuchi, H., Ichikawa, T., Taniguchi, S., Yagami, T., Funase, R., and Kawakatsu, Y. "Flyby Navigation and Guidance Experiment for Interplanetary Micro-Spacecraft PROCYON." 55th Annual Conference of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers of Japan (SICE), Tsukuba, Japan, 2016, pp. 654-659.
8. Yamamoto, T., Sato, S., Campagnola, S., Sarli, B., Kawakatsu, Y., Ogura, S., and Kawabata, Y.,"Mission design of DESTINY+." 67th International Astronautical Congress,Mexicanos,Sep 26-30,2016.

2015 +

1. Bruno Victorino Sarli, "Selecting and Designing a Fast Midcourse Asteroid Flyby", 25th Workshop on Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics, ISAS/JAXA, Jul 27-28, 2015.
2. Satoshi Ogura and Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, "A Study on V-Infinity Leverage Maneuver (VILM) with Low Thrust Propulsion System", 25th Workshop on Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics, ISAS/JAXA, Jul 27-28, 2015.
3. Chen, H.R., Kawakatsu, Y., and Hanada, T., "Earth Escape from a Sun-Earth Halo Orbit Using Unstable Manifolds and Lunar Gravity Assists", 25th Workshop on Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics, ISAS/JAXA, Jul 27-28, 2015.
4. Chen, H.R., Kawakatsu, Y., and Hanada, T., “Transfers from Sun-Earth Halo Orbits to the Moon”, 30th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science, Kobe , Hyogo, Japan, Jul 4-10, 2015.
5. Chen, H.R., Kawakatsu, Y., and Hanada, T., "Phasing Problem for Sun-Earth Halo Orbit to Lunar Swingby Encounter Transfers", 25th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Williamsburg, VA, Jan 11-15, 2015.
6. Sugimoto, Y., Campagnola, S., Yam, C.H., Sarli, B., Chen, H.R., Ozaki, N., Kawakatsu, Y., and Funase, R, "Design and operation of a micro-spacecraft asteroid flyby mission: PROCYON." 25th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Williamsburg, VA, Jan 11-15, 2015.
7. Kawabata, Y., Yam, C.H., Kawakatsu, Y., Sugimoto, Y., Funase, R., Campagnola, S., Ozaki, N., Sarli, B., Chen, H., Ogura, S., & Nakasuka, S., “Thruster Parameters Estimation for a Micro Deep Space Explorer: PROCYON", 25th International Symposium on Space Flight Dynamics, Oct 2015.
8. Campagnola, S., Ozaki, N., Funase, R., Nakasuka, S., Sugimoto, Y., Yam, C.H., Kawakatsu, Y., Chen, H., Kawabata, Y., Ogura, S., and Sarli, B.,"Low-Thrust trajectory design and operations of procyon, the first deep-space micro-spacecraft." 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel, Oct 12-16, 2015.

2012-2014 +

1. Yam, C. H., Sugimoto, Y., Ozaki, N., Sarli, B., Chen, H., Campagnola, S., Ogura, S., Kawabata, Y, Kawakatsu, Y., Nakajima, S., Funase, R., Nakasuka, S., "Launch Window and Sensitivity Analysis of an Asteroid Flyby Mission with Miniature Ion Propulsion System: PROCYON," 65th International Astronautical Congress, Toronto, Canada, Sep. 29-Oct. 3, 2014, IAC-14-C1.9.9.
2. Yam, C. H., Zuiani, F., Kawakatsu, Y., Yamamoto, T., and Vasile, M., "Orbit Raising Trajectory and System Analysis for the Mission DESTINY," 24th International Symposium on Space Flight Dynamics, Maryland, U.S.A., May 5-9, 2014.
3. Campagnola, S., Russell, R. Optimal control on Gauss' Equation (Proceedings of the 2nd DyCoSS conference, 2014).
4. Yam, C. H., and Kawakatsu, Y., "High Fidelity Direct Transcription Method For Optimization Of Many Revolution, Low-thrust Trajectories," 2nd IAA Conference on Dynamics and Control of Space Systems, Rome, Italy, March 24-26, 2014.
5. Ogura, S., Kawakatsu, Y. Matsuoka, A., Taguchi, M. "Visual Orbit Design for Next Mars Exploration Mission" 2nd IAA Conference on Dynamics and Control of Space Systems. IAA-AAS-DyCoSS2-14-06-02, 2014 3/24-26.
6. Hongru Chen, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu and Toshiya Hanada. "Low-energy Escape from the Sun-Earth L2 Utilizing Unstable Manifolds and Lunar Gravity Assists" 24th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting. AAS 14-468, 2014 1/26-30.
7. Sarli, B.V.; Kawakatsu, Y. "Orbit Transfer Optimization for Multiple Asteroid Flybys" SICE Annual Conference. TuBT7.4, 2013 9/14-17.
8. Yoshihide Sugimoto, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu and Takanao Saiki. "Orbit maintenance method for orbits around Sun-Earth L2 in ER3BP" 23rd Workshop on JAXA Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics. C-17, 2013 7/29-30.
9. Yasuhiro Kawakatsu. "An orbit plan of AKATSUKI to avoid long eclipse on Venus orbit" 23rd Workshop on JAXA Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics. B-13, 2013 7/29-30.
10. Federico Zuiani, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu and Massimiliano Vasile. "Multi-objective optimisation of multi-revolution, low-thrust orbit　raising for DESTINY mission" 23rd Workshop on JAXA Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics. B-14, 2013 7/29-30.
11. Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Kazutaka Nishiyama, Ikkoh Funaki, Takahiro Iwata. "DESTINY Mission Description and Its Value" The 29th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS). 2013-k-47, 2013 6/2-9.
12. Yoshihide Sugimoto, Stefano Campagnola, Takanao Saiki, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu. "Multi Revolution Orbit Design in Sun-Earth Elliptic Restricted 3-Body Problem" The 29th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS). 2013-d-02, 2013 6/2-9.
13. Saori Ikeda, Yoshihide Sugimoto, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Toshiya Hanada. "Systematic Analysis of Venus Earth Gravity Assist (VEGA) Sequence and Its Application to Mission Design" The 29th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS). 2013-d-22, 2013 6/2-9.
14. Campagnola, S., Kawakatsu, Y. Recovery options for the Akatsuki spacecraft, International Astronautical Conference, Beijing, China, Sep. 2013.