Control variable parameterisation with penalty approach for hypersonic vehicle reentry optimisation

ABSTRACT

An efficient trajectory optimisation approach combining the classical control variable parameterisation (CVP) with a novel smooth technology and two penalty strategies is developed to solve the trajectory optimal control problems. Since it is difficult to deal with path constraints in CVP method, the novel smooth technology is firstly employed to transform the complex constraints into one smooth constraint. Then, two penalty strategies are proposed to tackle the converted path and terminal constraints to decrease the computational complexity and improve the constraints satisfaction. Finally, a nonlinear programming problem, which approximates the original trajectory optimisation problem, is obtained. Error analysis shows that the proposed method has good convergence property. A general hypersonic cruise vehicle trajectory optimisation example is employed to test the performance of the proposed method. Numerical results show that the path and terminal conditions are well satisfied and better trajectory profiles are obtained, showing the effectiveness of the proposed method.

KEYWORDS:

• Control variable parameterisation
• reentry optimisation
• hypersonic flight vehicle
• smooth technology
• penalty method

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments to improve the quality of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 61590921], [grant number 61603336]; Zhejiang Province Natural Science Foundation [grant number LY18D060002] [grant number Y16B040003]; Aerospace Science and Technology Innovation Fund of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation [grant number E81601]; and their supports are thereby acknowledged.