An analytical low-thrust design tool for orbits around Earth has been developed which takes perturbations into account. The Simplified General Perturbations 4 model (SGP4) is combined with Edelbaum’s analytical low-thrust trajectory model. This resulted in the SGP4-LT tool which required an iterative version of SGP4. To obtain this iterative SGP4, an existing method was corrected and extended. A convergence rate of 99.5% was obtained for 17542 objects of the satellite catalogue. Convergence was not reached for combinations of inclinations smaller than 0.1° and eccentricities lower than 4e-6. SGP4-LT obtained expected results for orbit raising and non-coplanar orbit change. Altitude maintenance was performed which was based on the GOCE mission. SGP4-LT obtained a 14 % higher amount of propellant than GOCE had available.
SGP4-LT provides within seconds a first approximation solution for low-thrust transfer trajectories around Earth and is capable of calculating DeltaV budgets for altitude maintenance in low Earth orbits.

The Mars One initiative is determined to put the first humans on the surface of Mars. Furthermore,
it aims to create a permanent human colony on Mars by providing a one-way transportation
service to the red planet as early as 2023.