Powered Descent Guidance

Powered descent guidance (PDG) focuses on safely and efficiently landing spacecraft, particularly on challenging terrains like Mars, by optimizing fuel consumption and trajectory planning. Recent research emphasizes developing more robust and computationally efficient algorithms, employing techniques like diffusion models, transformer networks, and novel first-order optimization methods with expansive projections to handle complex constraints and non-convex optimization problems. These advancements aim to improve the reliability and precision of landing maneuvers, reducing fuel requirements and enabling more ambitious exploration missions. The resulting improvements in computational speed and trajectory optimization are crucial for future interplanetary missions.