LQG-Based Model Predictive Control of the VLS-1 Attitude at Max Dynamic Pressure

Antonio Silveira; Marco Sagliano; David Seelbinder; Stephan Theil; João Viana da Fonseca Neto; Rufin Azonsivo; Matheus Morais da Silva; Marcelo Nunes de Lima; Daniel Abreu Macedo da Silva; Lucas de Carvalho Sodré; Marcos César da Rocha Seruffo

doi:10.1590/jatm.v18.1456

Authors

Antonio Silveira Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2698-2677
Marco Sagliano University of Bologna – Department of Industrial Engineering – Bologna – Italy. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1026-0693
David Seelbinder German Aerospace Center – Department of Guidance, Navigation and Control – Bremen – Germany. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4080-3169
Stephan Theil German Aerospace Center – Department of Guidance, Navigation and Control – Bremen – Germany. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5346-8091
João Viana da Fonseca Neto Universidade Federal do Maranhão – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Aeroespacial – São Luís/MA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4606-7510
Rufin Azonsivo Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3066-4035
Matheus Morais da Silva Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9482-5618
Marcelo Nunes de Lima Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6549-7267
Daniel Abreu Macedo da Silva Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7645-1539
Lucas de Carvalho Sodré Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7972-7338
Marcos César da Rocha Seruffo Universidade Federal do Pará – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica – Belém/PA – Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8106-0560

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/jatm.v18.1456

Keywords:

Satellite launch vehicle, Model predictive control, Attitude control, Guidance, navigation & control, VLS-1

Abstract

This paper presents the main results of a case study on the attitude control of a satellite launch vehicle using a novel model predictive control (MPC). Design and simulations were based on the Brazilian VLS-1 launcher during the maximum dynamic pressure regime. Such a model was characterized by a 16th-order state-space realization with asymmetrical and coupled attitude dynamics, bending modes, non-collocated sensor-actuator, actuator saturation, wind disturbances, and sensor noise. The idea was to recreate, from a control theory perspective, a scenario similar to the 1999 explosion of the VLS-1 V02, exploring the thesis that the intense vibratory regime could have contributed to the failure. It is demonstrated that when non-collocated sensor-actuator or measurement noise is introduced into the simulations, the control-loop performance degrades and stability may be lost with proportional-integral-derivative-based controllers. To overcome such problems, a new MPC technology is proposed, predictive minimum variance control with full state-feedback. The adopted methodology inherits the advantages of linear quadratic Gaussian with loop-transfer recovery and adds the enhancements of MPC to mitigate the effects of time delays. The results were compared to those obtained by applying a functional approximation of the PI-D controller once designed for the real VLS-1 launcher.

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LQG-Based Model Predictive Control of the VLS-1 Attitude at Max Dynamic Pressure

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