Abstract: As an important means of space situational awareness, close range skimming can realize the close observation of space targets with less fuel consumption. After approaching the target spacecraft, the mission spacecraft needs to meet many conditions such as appropriate observation distance and illumination angle. This process has strong constraints. Therefore, it is necessary to find an optimization algorithm that can not only quickly optimize, but also can make the optimized orbit meet the mission requirements. In this paper, an optimization algorithm combining multi step optimization and sequential quadratic programming synthesis is designed, and a simplified model is proposed for the constraints of short range observation missions to deal with the nonlinear constraints in the operation process, The most fuel efficient orbital maneuver is achieved under the mission requirements and constraints. The validity of the algorithm and the rationality of the simplified model are verified by the program calculation and simulation.

Key words: multistep optimization, SQP, orbit optimization, space attack and defense