Abstract

This thesis faces the design of the trajectory of a tethered mission to Saturn. A gravity assist in Jupiter is included. The Earth-to-Jupiter portion of the transfer is unpropelled. The Jupiter-to-Saturn trajectory has two parts: a first coasting arc followed by a second arc where a low thrust engine is switched on. An optimization process provides the laws of thrust control that minimizes the relative velocity to Saturn at arrival, thus facilitating the tethered orbit insertion.