Control Aspects of Highly Constrained Guidance Techniques
Abstract
This thesis examines the design of the guidance, steering, control, and attitude measurement systems for the third stage of a space vehicle in exoatmospheric powered flight. The guidance methods used in this study include position offset guidance and energy management (fuel depletion) guidance. A generalized flight control system design method is developed which allows the autopilot filter gains and coefficients to be readily determined for any desired crossover frequency. Several steering modes for velocity-to-be-gained and fuel depletion guidance are then discussed. The effect of terminal steering on the end-of-burn stability and velocity-to-be gained residuals is discussed for abrupt thrust termination and thrust tailoff conditions. An empirical approach to the determination of sensitivities to thrust direction errors for fuel depletion and simultaneous control of reentry angle and time-on-target guidance is discussed and compared to analytical predictions. Finally, an attitude measurement study is presented which compares several methods of processing the IMU attitude measurements with regard to reducing computational requirements and minimizing worst-case error.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA058475
Entities
People
- Louis R. Records Jr.
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology