In this paper, applications of the modern Fortran programming language to the field of spacecraft trajectory optimization and design are examined. Modern Fortran (the latest standard is Fortran 2008, and the newer Fortran 2018 standard is due to be published next year) is a significant enhancement to the classical Fortran 77 language. Modern object-oriented Fortran has many advantages for scientific programming, although many legacy Fortran aerospace codes have not been upgraded to use the newer standards (or have been rewritten in other languages perceived to be more modern). NASA's Copernicus spacecraft trajectory optimization program, originally a combination of Fortran 77 and Fortran 95, has attempted to keep up with modern standards and makes significant use of the new language features. Various algorithms and methods are presented from trajectory tools such as Copernicus, as well as modern Fortran open source libraries and other projects.
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