2010 International Conference on Computer, Mechatronics, Control and Electronic Engineering (CMCE)

RLV(Reusable Launch Vehicle) Reentry Nonlinear Controller Design

XU Zhi TANG Shuo

College of Astronautics College of Astronautics
Northwestern Polytecnical University Northwestern Polytecnical University
Xi' an, China Xi' an, China
e-mail: xuzhi@nwpu.edu.cn e-mail: suotang@ nwpu.edu.cn

A bstract- Re-entry of Reusable Launch Vehicle(RLV) is the

most challenging flight phase, which has a large of flight II. REENTRY MODEL
range, highly mobile, multi-border constraints (surface
temperature constraints, normal overload constraints and A. Basic Assumption
dynamic pressure boundary constraints, etc.), complex • RLV is ideal rigid body, without regard to the
actuators (air control surfaces and reaction control system)
elastic deformation of wings and fuselage.
and other characteristics, so classical control system design
• Cg location and moment of inertia as a function of
is very difficult to meet the control requirements. In this
mass.
paper, feedback linearization controller is designed based on
the full rotational equations of motion rather than on a
• RLV relative to the vertical plane symmetry, so
conventional model derived from time-scale separation. RLV inertia Ixy' Ixy is zero, while the inertia Ixz is not
six degrees of freedom dynamic nonlinear model is linearized zero.
by output feedback linearization theory, then classical PID
control theory is applied to complete control system design B. Kinetic Model
and apply Matlab/simulink to complete the re-entry
it = Vsiny
trajectory 6DOF model and the simulation results
i = (Vcosysinx) I ((1\, + H) coso)
demonstrate that the controller be able to better track the
guidance parameters and meet the controller design ,5= VcosycosX I (Rv + H)
requirements. dV Idt=-Dlm-gsiny

Keywords-component;reusable launch vehicle; Reentry;

dy 1 (L Y. (V2
-=-x -COSCT---"-SlDCT+ --g cosy+2�VSlDXcosu
dt V m m R
) . �J
Nonlinear Control

1. INTRODUCTION
dX _-
dt
= I
Vcosy m
[ Ya
x l:.. sinCT-
m
COSCT+ (v
cosy 2

R
) tanosinx ]
RLV re-entry model is highly nonlinear and strong -2QH (cos 0 tan ycosX-sin 0)
coupling, the classical control system design is very
( 1)
difficult to meet the control requirements. This model for
The dynamic model of RLV in re-entry coordinate
the RLV reentry control problem of nonlinear model,
system see Equation(I), the re-entry azimuth X , the
design and control based on torque and control angle in
trajectory angle r , the longitude 8 , the latitude r , the
full feedback (non-time scale separation) conditions, the
feedback linearization controller, to achieve six degrees of Earth's rotation angular velocity Q£ . When the yaw angle
freedom nonlinear model of RLV linearization, PID is ±90' , the above equation singular. RLV rotation kinetic
control theory applied to achieve classical control system equation is as follows
design, and complete the full trajectory simulation. The

l:]cr, [[�ll:J+[:III
simulation results show the feasibility of control methods
(2)
to achieve accurate tracking of guided instruction.
In this paper, feedback linearization and model
predictive control method of combining the completion of Mj is the role of the body coordinate system on the
the RLV reentry controller design, namely the use of external torque, p , q and r is the rotation angular
feedback linearization design method based on the control
velocity around the missile body-axis, I is inertia matrix
angle and control the torque between the full feedback

[�
is defined as
(non-time scale separation) under feedback linearization
controller, to eliminate the influence of nonlinear model, ; (3 )
the classical PID control theory applied to complete the J= .'Y

controller design. And in the Simulink environment, six -J�

degrees of freedom to achieve a re-entry trajectory

To equation (1) into equation(2), aircraft equations of
simulation to verifY the controller can track the guidance
motion for rotation
parameters to satisfY the controller design.

978-1-4244-7956-6/10/$26.00 ©20 10 IEEE CMCE 2010

380
 p =I"M,/ I' + lu M?,/ I' +( /« -I", + 1,,)/upq/ I' a 0 I 0 0 0 0 a 0 0 0
+ (U", - 1")1,, -I:)qr/ I" Ii 0 0 0 0 0 0 a I 0

: [::1
q = My/ Ix, +I�(r'-p')/ Ivy + (J" -Iu)pr/ Ivy X=
jJ 0 0 0 0 0 fJ
+
0 0

f =Iu M,/ I" +IuM?,/ I" +( ( Iu-I",)Iu+I:)pq/ t

P 0 0 0 0 0 0 jJ 0 I
a- 0 0 0 0 0 rr 0 0 0
+(-In +Ivy -I,,)Iuqr/ t
if 0 0 0 0 0 0 a- 0 0
a =-peos(a)tan(1J) + q -rsin(a)tan(1J)
a
(7)
eos(rr)
- [y b' cos (X)- (i + OF. )eos(o)sin(x)] eX

:
0 0 0 0

Y�[:H:
_
eos(fJ)
fJ
sin(rr) 0 0 0
+
eos(fJ)
[ieos(y)-b'sin(x)sin(y)
0 0 0 jJ
rr
+ (i + 0E )(eos(o)eos(x)sin(y) -sin(o)eos(y))]
d-
jJ =psin(a) -reos(a) +sin(rr)[y-b'eos(x) + (i + � )eos(o)sin(x)]
+eos(rr)[ieos(y) -b'sin(x )sin(y)
IV. REENTRY CONTROL
- (i + 0E )(eos(o)eos(x)sin(y) -sin(o)eos(y))]
a- =-p eos(a)eos(fJ) -q sin(fJ) -rsinea)eos(fJ) The nonlinear equivalent system is decoupde into three
+ asin(fJ) -isin(y) -b'sin(x)eos(y) second-order linear subsystems by output feedback
- (i + � )(eos(o)eos(x)eos(y) +sin(o)sin(y)) linearization theory and the linear model control methods
can be independently designed, so the original system
(4) output tracking problem is converted into output tracking
Where problem of each linear decoupled subsystem. Therefore,
] =] ]
* ]2 the use of PID control design control system, decoupled

{
_
xx zz xz
second-order linear subsystem as
III. REENTRY MODEL FEEDBACK LINEARIZATION
O
Y'j = Y;
i = 1,2,3 (8)
In order to apply feedback linearization theory and Yi -Vi
_

1 2)
assumptions[ ,
• Ignore the Earth's rotation angular velocity. select control rate:
000 k ( ·0 .0 ) k ( 0 0)
• the displacement parameters set to zero in the spin Vi = Yid -
1 Yid - Yi - 2 Yid - Yi (9)
equation, r i f $ 0.
Asked overshoot less than 5% settling time of about 2
= = = =

p =I"M,/ I' +I� Mz/ I' +( In -Ivy+I,,)I�pq/ I' seconds (take 5% error band), select the following
parameters
+ (Uvy -lu)/" -I:)qr/ t
kj =2xO.707x2.86
q = My/ Ivy +Iu(r'-p')/ Ivy + (J" -Iu)pr/ I"
r=Iu M,/ t +IuM?,/ t +( (Iu-I,,)Iu+I;Jpq/ t (5) k2 =2.8622
+ (-Iu+Ivy -I,,)Iuqr/ I"
2
make A + k]A + k 0 root all located in the left flat,
2 =

a = q -(peosa +rs ina) tan fJ can guarantee stability of the system.

jJ =psina -reosa RLV feedback linearization of nonlinear equations the
a- =-qsin fJ-(peosa +r sina)eos fJ + a sin fJ output tracking control block diagram shown in Figure 1:
Application of input-output feedback linearization RLV
theory of Lie derivative, the total relative /I = E(xr'(-B(x)+V) Dynamic

6 Model

[
degree r1 + r + r
2 3
= r
n
= , Therefore, the system is not inner
dynamic. Decoupled matrix E(x) is 3 x 3 matrix,
-u=cosa-/rSina)tanjJl J' -Urcosa-l=sina)tanjJl J'

I
II I"

(I"sina-/rcosa)1 J'
'
t-'(x) = 0 (lrsina-I=cosa)/! x

-(1" cosa+ Jrsina)1 J cosjJ '

0 -(Ircosa+ 1=sina) I J cosjJ
'
a,fJ,a

detE(x) /;1
LI= _I'
"'
JJ' cosjJ
1
-'--
I I", cosjJ
'
�--
1
I I»'
,,0 Figure I, linear output feedback tracking control block diagram

[ � �
Ii = E-'(x) v, - L hJx) v, - L h,(x) v, - L h,(x) � J
V. SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS
(6)
Therefore E(x) reversible, System of feedback A. Guidance Command
linearization can be achieved, the original system into a
Using standard orbit method of RLV to meet the
six-order system
dynamic pressure, aerodynamic heating and overload the
constraints of re-entry trajectory, guided angle command
shown in Figure2.

381
 500 ,---,--,---,--,,---.-

h
80
400

60 I I
Ii, I(;. \..
40 I---+! -1-
1 -+-'\, ,-----____..

0;20
"
:s.
-��-T��---
� Ol-
<{
-20
-300

-400

_500 L-__L__L___L_�L__-L_�L-_ -L_�

o 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Time(s)
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time(s) Figure 4. altitude tracking error curve

Figure 2. angle of attack, sideslip angle and bank angle guidence curve

The RLV re-entry six degrees of freedom simulation

9000

8000
i-,------.--,--.----.---.-;='=;:::::c:::::l::;- 1= ���mandl
model is built in simulink environment, simulation initial 7000

conditions and controller design parameters shown III

6000
Table1, the controller design specifications shown III
_ 5000
Table2. The simulation results shown in Figure 3-8. �
� 4000

TABLE!. SIMULATION INITIAL CONDITIONS 3000

Simulation conditions Value 2000

1000
Initial Speed
7910m/s
o L-__�__�___L__�__�____L___�__�__�
Initial altitude o 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
120km
Time (5)
Trajectory angle
_1.75' Figure 5. velocity curve
Sampling period
O.ls
Re-entry time
1600s

TABLE II. CONTROLLER TRACKING REQUIREMENTS

Tracking requirements Value

Angle of attack tracking error
leal::; r
I eli I ::;r
Angle of Yaw tracking error

Angle of bank tracking error

le,,1 ::; 60
-6
Maximum dynamic pressure 18kp
_7 L-_�__L_�__L-_�_�_�L- _�_�
Maximum normal overload 2.5 o 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 lBOO
Time(5)

6.
. l
Figure filght path angle curve

Alpha Error

I - Beta Error
- Bank Error �
. � ,--_r--,----.--._--r--,
�

�25
�
OJ
._-
-,
q

�l

;-5
-0

ii
:�-1O
Q.

_�-15
-6
o 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 lBOO �-20
Time(5) _� L---L-�--�-�--�--L--�
200 350 400 450 550 600
Figure 3. guidance angle tracking error curve Ti""(5)
Figure 7. roll, pitch and yaw angular velocity curve

382
 2.0 of time scale conditions and that solve the re-entry model
of highly nonlinear control problem.
1.5 As the feedback linearization theory is highly
>. dependent on accuracy of the re-entry model, so classical
1. 0
z

PID control theory can accurate track guided command.

o.5 �=::==::==:::===:===:==::::==�==;:=�
IS.Ok,
REFERENCES
SIS.Ok
•
�12.0k
[ I] u. Recasens, Q.P. Chu and JA Mulder. Robust Model Predictive
5. 9.0k
Control of a Feedback Linearized System for a Lifting-body Re­
� 6.0k
o

entry Vehicle. AIAA 2005-6147

-:::: 3.0k
>.

[2] da Costa, Chu Q P, Mulder J A. Re-entry Flight Controller Design

o o�
l _������
B _ _ �������
_ _ _ _����
_ _
Using Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion. Journal of Spacecraft and
Time(s) Rockets, 2003, 40(1): pp. 64-71.

Figure 8. Normal overload, dynamic pressure curve [3] Wallner E M, Well K H. Attitude Control of a Re-entry Vehicle
with Internal Dynamics. Journal of Guidance, Control and
Dynamics, 2003, 26(6): pp. 846-854.
The controller can better track guidance commands and
[4] Elmar M.Wallner and Klaus H. Well. Attitude Control of a Reentry
guidance angle tracking error fill the controller design Vehicle with Internal Dynamics. AIAA 2002-4647
requirements. Height and angle parameters tracking errors
[5] Shearer C M, Heise S A. Constrained Model Predictive Control of
are controlled within a smaller range. a Nonlinear Aerospace System, AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and
Control Conference, AIAA, Reston, VA, 1998.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The RLV re-entry nonlinear model can be linearized by

feedback linearization controller based on non-separation

383