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arXiv · 2509.01855

A Million-Point Fast Trajectory Optimization Solver

A. Javeed·D. P. Kouri·D. Ridzal·J. D. Steinman·I. M. Ross
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Abstract

One might argue that solving a trajectory optimization problem over a million grid points is preposterous. How about solving such a problem at an incredibly fast computational time? On a small form-factor processor? Algorithmic details that make possible this trifecta of breakthroughs are presented in this paper. The computational mathematics that deliver these advancements are: (i) a Birkhoff-theoretic discretization of optimal control problems, (ii) matrix-free linear algebra leveraging Krylov-subspace methods, and (iii) a near-perfect Birkhoff preconditioner that helps achieve $\mathcal{O}(1)$ iteration speed with respect to the grid size,~$N$. A key enabler of this high performance is the computation of Birkhoff matrix-vector products at $\mathcal{O}(N\log(N))$ time using fast Fourier transform techniques that eliminate traditional computational bottlenecks. A numerical demonstration of this unprecedented scale and speed is illustrated for a practical astrodynamics problem.

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A. Javeed, D. P. Kouri, D. Ridzal, J. D. Steinman, I. M. Ross. 2025-09-02. A Million-Point Fast Trajectory Optimization Solver. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.01855

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