Trajectory optimization and guidance for an aerospace plane

The first step in the approach to developing guidance laws for a horizontal take-off, air breathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle is to characterize the minimum-fuel ascent trajectories. The capability to generate constrained, minimum fuel ascent trajectories for a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle was developed. A key component of this capability is the general purpose trajectory optimization program OTIS. The pre-production version, OTIS 0.96 was installed and run on a Convex C-1. A propulsion model was developed covering the entire flight envelope of a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. Three separate propulsion modes, corresponding to an after burning turbojet, a ramjet and a scramjet, are used in the air breathing propulsion phase. The Generic Hypersonic Aerodynamic Model Example aerodynamic model of a hypersonic air breathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle was obtained and implemented. Preliminary results pertaining to the effects of variations in acceleration constraints, available thrust level and fuel specific impulse on the shape of the minimum-fuel ascent trajectories were obtained. The results show that, if the air breathing engines are sized for acceleration to orbital velocity, it is the acceleration constraint rather than the dynamic pressure constraint that is active during ascent

Minimum-fuel aeroassisted coplanar orbit transfer using lift-modulation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76954/1/AIAA-1983-2094-112.pd

Optimal plane change during constant altitude hypersonic flight

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76559/1/AIAA-1988-4341-460.pd

Orbital changes during hypersonic aerocruise

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76648/1/AIAA-1987-2564-435.pd

Minimum-fuel aeroassisted coplanar orbit transfer using lift-modulation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76271/1/AIAA-19945-331.pd

Thrust law effects on the long-period modes of aerospace craft

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77068/1/AIAA-1989-3379-266.pd

Canonical transformations for space trajectory optimization

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76506/1/AIAA-1992-4509-414.pd

Explicit guidance of drag modulated aeroassisted transfer between elliptical orbits

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77220/1/AIAA-1984-1848-977.pd