The bang-bang type of control problem for spacecraft trajectory optimization is solved by using a hybrid approach. First, a pseudospectral method is utilized to generate approximate switching times, control structures, and initial co-states. Second, a homotopy method is used to solve the two-point boundary value problems derived from the Euler-Lagrangian equations. The unknown variables in the ...

Some new results for a classical minimum time, rest-to-rest maneuver problem are presented. An inertially symmetric rigid body is considered. For the case that the magnitude of the control is constrained while the control direction is left free, we analytically prove that the eigenaxis maneuver is the time minimum solution by using the Pontryagin’s principle. For the case that the three compone...

Areas of Teaching Interest:  Analysis and Design of Control Systems  Discrete Time Control Systems  Intelligent Controls  Robust Nonlinear Controls Areas of Research Interest:  Robust and adaptive control of nonlinear systems  Homogeneous systems theory  Output feedback control  Observer design and fault detection  Intelligent control systems  Control of nonholonomic systems  Underac...

This article surveys the classical techniques of nonlinear optimal control such as the Pontryagin Maximum Principle and the conjugate point theory, and how they can be implemented numerically, with a special focus on applications to aerospace problems. In practice the knowledge resulting from the maximum principle is often insufficient for solving the problem in particular because of the well-k...

It is well known that among the first motivations for modern control theory were dynamic optimization problems in rocket launching and navigation in aerospace. These problems had become especially important in the forties and fifties due to requirement to minimize various costly resources and design parameters, such as flight time, amount (mass) of fuel, weight of the spacecraft, the drag force...

The control system for stabilizing the lateral motion at landing the aerospace plane (ASP) onto moving ekranoplane is developed. As the disturbances character applied to ASP are being changed at different weather conditions, the system analysis and synthesis are made in a wide class of disturbances. This class may be represented by some numerical characteristics – the upper bounds of derivative...

The focus of this program is fundamental research in general methods of analysis and design of complex uncertain nonlinear systems. Our approach builds on our recent success in blending robust and nonlinear control methods with a much greater emphasis on the use of local and global techniques in nonlinear dynamical systems theory. Speci c areas of interest include real-time trajectory generatio...

Possible approaches to the mathematical description of different types of flexible flying vehicles (FFV), and also the principles of software development for control system synthesis, dynamic properties research and FFV motion simulation are observed. The peculiarities of the program package specially created for such purposes are described. It includes the library of program modules designed o...