A robust and high precision optimal explicit guidance scheme for solid motor propelled launch vehicles with thrust and drag uncertainty

A new nonlinear optimal and explicit guidance law is presented in this paper for launch vehicles propelled by solid motors. It can ensure very high terminal precision despite not having the exact knowledge of the thrust-time curve apriori. This was motivated from using it for a carrier launch vehicl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of systems science 2016-10, Vol.47 (13), p.3078-3097
Main Authors: Maity, Arnab, Padhi, Radhakant, Mallaram, Sanjeev, Rao, G. Mallikarjuna, Manickavasagam, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
autopilot design
Drag
flexible final time optimal control
Guidance (motion)
hypersonic launch vehicle control
launch vehicle guidance
Launch vehicles
Mathematical models
model predictive static programming
Motors
MPSP guidance
Nonlinearity
Optimization
six-DOF simulation
Terminals
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Summary:A new nonlinear optimal and explicit guidance law is presented in this paper for launch vehicles propelled by solid motors. It can ensure very high terminal precision despite not having the exact knowledge of the thrust-time curve apriori. This was motivated from using it for a carrier launch vehicle in a hypersonic mission, which demands an extremely narrow terminal accuracy window for the launch vehicle for successful initiation of operation of the hypersonic vehicle. The proposed explicit guidance scheme, which computes the optimal guidance command online, ensures the required stringent final conditions with high precision at the injection point. A key feature of the proposed guidance law is an innovative extension of the recently developed model predictive static programming guidance with flexible final time. A penalty function approach is also followed to meet the input and output inequality constraints throughout the vehicle trajectory. In this paper, the guidance law has been successfully validated from nonlinear six degree-of-freedom simulation studies by designing an inner-loop autopilot as well, which enhances confidence of its usefulness significantly. In addition to excellent nominal results, the proposed guidance has been found to have good robustness for perturbed cases as well.
ISSN:0020-7721
1464-5319
DOI:10.1080/00207721.2015.1088100