Acceleration-constrained time-optimal control inndimensions

The minimum-time acceleration of a generalized point mass from an initial position and velocity to the origin in
n
dimensions is solved by transforming the problem to an equivalent problem in two dimensions and analytically integrating the system differential equations. Computation of the optimal control is thereby reduced to the solution of five simultaneous nonlinear equations. A numerical continuation method is presented for solving these equations by starting at the known solution of a related single-dimensional problem and progressing incrementally to the desired solution. The problem and solution method are illustrated by a numerical example.