Precision guidance of a rocket using Pseudospectral optimal control

Abstract

Maximum range and minimum time maneuvers for a rocket are vital to the war fighter since weapons that can intercept targets faster or travel farther provide advantages that increase the chances of mission success. Yet, guidance laws for tactical rockets are based on principles that have been in use since World War II. This thesis applies Pseudospectral optimal control theory to assess the achievable performance of a guided rocket in the terminal stage of flight. The performance is compared to a baseline obtained using conventional control (proportional navigation). For a fictitious missile, an optimal control solution is shown to increase the range of the missile by nearly 300% in the mid-to-terminal phase of flight. A minimum time solution showed a reduction in flight time by about 40% compared to the conventional proportional navigation-based approach.