Adaptive Guidance Systems for Hypersonic Reusable Launch Vehicles

Abstract

This paper presents an adaptive guidance system approach applied to hypersonic Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs). After an effector failure, it is assumed that the inner-closed-loop system utilizes a reconfigurable control algorithm to recover nominal maneuvering capabilities to the extent possible. However, nominal performance will typically not be fully recovered for RLVs, and the outer-loop guidance system must account for the degraded vehicle response. Two main approaches for the adaptive guidance system are presented. The first approach augments the existing production guidance system by adding adaptation capabilities. A case study shows that stability is maintained following a primary pitch effector failure. This is achieved by adapting gains in the guidance feedback loops. However, it is shown that the trajectory commands to the guidance loops must also be re-targeted in order to achieve a safe landing. The second approach employs an on-line optimal trajectory re-targeting algorithm. Here, the calculus of variations is used to generate a database of admissible neighboring extremals. This database is then encoded in an efficient manner to generate mappings between the current states and vehicle capabilities and the costates defining the admissible optimal trajectories. These mappings are interrogated on-line at regular intervals to obtain the optimal guidance commands. A proof-of-concept case study of this approach shows that the final landing conditions are achieved following a primary speed control effector failure.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA436268

Entities

People

  • David G. Ward
  • Jason R. Hull
  • Jeffrey F. Monaco
  • John D. Schierman
  • Michael J. Ruth

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Algorithms
  • Calculus Of Variations
  • Case Studies
  • Closed Loop Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Feedback
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Flight Paths
  • Launch Vehicles
  • Neural Networks
  • Production
  • Reliability
  • Reusable Launch Vehicles
  • Targeting
  • Trajectories
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Operations Research
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics