Optimal Autonomous Guidance of Rocket Propelled Projectiles
Abstract
Proposed research is to develop preliminary analytical and computational methods for optimal onboard guidance of Rocket Propelled Projectiles (RPPs). The proposed effort willdevelop a real-time convex optimization based method that will fully exploit the flight envelope of the projectile by finding the optimal trajectories achieving the mission goals while satisfying mission and operational constraints. The objective of the proposed research is to develop preliminary analytical and computational methods for optimal onboard guidance of Rocket Propelled Projectiles (RPPs). The proposed effort will develop a real-time convex optimization based method that will fully exploit the flight envelope of the projectile by finding the optimal trajectories achieving the mission goals while satisfying mission and operational constraints. The proposed guidance methods are based on the convexification of the underlying optimal control problems. Convexification is a mathematical technique that enables the conversion of the complex trajectory optimization problems with many mission constraints into numerically tractable convex optimization problems, which can then be solved reliably and rapidly by existing Interior Point Method (IPM) algorithms. IPMs guarantee the computation of solutions in milliseconds allowing real-time onboard implementability. Indeed our research group has developed one of the first such algorithm for optimal guidance of planetary landing spacecraft and demonstrated it onboard a NASA test rocket, which proved a dramatic advancement in autonomous rocket technology. The proposed research builds on the same analytical and numerical foundation and it will expand the onboard active guidance capabilities of the RPPs. An important characteristic of the proposed optimization based guidance methodology is that it enables a systematic analysis of tradeoffs between key physical and operational parameters and the performance objectives. Such tradeoffs can include the amount of onboard fuel versus flight distance and accuracy, or onboard sensor quality versus delivery precision. The proposed methods and algorithms will quantify these tradeoffs systematically and accurately. Furthermore they will allow these computations to be done rapidly, which will also enable rigorous RPP design optimization. Specifically the proposed research is a preliminary investigation that aims to establish the necessary analytical framework and the preliminary algorithmic capabilities for optimal guidance of RPPs by progressing in three complementary research thrusts. This proposal will establish the fundamental analytical and numerical framework to develop optimal RPP guidance algorithms and will provide the initial evidence for potential improvements in optimal guidance of autonomous RPPs. As a part of this study, we will also provide a roadmap for the next stage of the research to push these algorithms into practice and to enable their implementations on the next generation RPPs of the Naval services.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 23, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612877
Entities
People
- Behçet Açıkmeşe
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Washington