The application of the calculus of variations to the optimization of flight trajectories

A Master's Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the George Washington University in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering; February 1964. This is a scan of the original print copy. Excerpt from the introduction: This analysis illustrates the application of the Calculus of Variations to the optimization of flight trajectories. More specifically, the optimal trajectory programs formulated in the analysis involve the time programming of the lift distribution such that some function of the terminal conditions is optimized given specified initial conditions. The simultaneous programming of the lift distribution, thrust magnitude, and thrust direction is formulated so that some function of the terminal conditions is optimized, given specified initial conditions.

Author

• Land, Walker Haden

Publisher

• George Washington University

Language

• English

Keyword

• Applied science
• Flight trajectories
• Engineering
• Calculus of Variations

Date created

• 1964

Related url

•  https://wrlc-gwu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma9926814833604107&context=L&vid=01WRLC_GWA:live&search_scope=DN_and_CI&tab=Everything&lang=en

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Degree

• M.S.

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/cc08hg22r