Watt Linkage–Based Legged Deployable Landing Mechanism for Reusable Launch Vehicle: Principle, Prototype Design, and Experimental Validation

The reusable launch vehicle (RLV) presents a new avenue for reducing cost of space transportation. The landing mechanism, which provides landing support and impact absorption, is a vital component of the RLV at final stage of recovery. This study proposes a novel legged deployable landing mechanism (LDLM) for RLV. The Watt-II six-bar mechanism is adopted to obtain the preferred configuration via the application of the linkage variation approach. To endow the proposed LDLM with advantages of large landing support region, lightweight, and reasonable linkage internal forces, a multi-objective optimization paradigm is developed. Furthermore, the optimal scale parameters for guiding the LDLM prototype design is obtained numerically using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) evolutionary algorithm. A fully-functional scaled RLV prototype is developed by integrating the gravity-governed deploying scheme to facilitate unfolding action to avoid full-range actuation, a dual-backup locking mechanism to enhance reliability of structure stiffening as fully deployed, and a shock absorber (SA) with multistage honeycomb to offer reliable shock absorbing performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LDLM is capable of providing rapid and smooth deployment (duration less than 1.5 s) with mild posture disturbance to the cabin (yaw and pitch fluctuations less than 6°). In addition, it provides satisfactory impact attenuation (acceleration peak less than 10g (g is the gravitational acceleration)) in the 0.2 m freefall test, which makes the proposed LDLM a potential alternative for developing future RLV archetype.

Hierarchical structured robust adaptive attitude controller design for reusable launch vehicles

Reentry attitude control for reusable launch vehicles （RLVs） is challenging due to the characters of fast nonlinear dy- namics and large flight envelop. A hierarchical structured attitude control system for an RLV is proposed and an unpowered RLV con- trol model is developed. Then, the hierarchical structured control frame consisting of attitude controller, compound control strategy and control allocation is presented. At the core of the design is a robust adaptive control （RAC） law based on dual loop time-scale separation. A radial basis function neural network （RBFNN） is implemented for compensation of uncertain model dynamics and external disturbances in the inner loop. And then the robust op- timization is applied in the outer loop to guarantee performance robustness. The overall control design frame retains the simplicity in design while simultaneously assuring the adaptive and robust performance. The hierarchical structured robust adaptive con- troller （HSRAC） incorporates flexibility into the design with regard to controller versatility to various reentry mission requirements. Simulation results show that the improved tracking performance is achieved by means of RAC.

Six-DOF trajectory optimization for reusable launch vehicles via Gauss pseudospectral method

To be close to the practical flight process and increase the precision of optimal trajectory, a six-degree-offreedom（6-DOF） trajectory is optimized for the reusable launch vehicle（RLV） using the Gauss pseudospectral method（GPM）. Different from the traditional trajectory optimization problem which generally considers the RLV as a point mass, the coupling between translational dynamics and rotational dynamics is taken into account. An optimization problem is formulated to minimize a performance index subject to 6-DOF equations of motion, including translational and rotational dynamics. A two-step optimal strategy is then introduced to reduce the large calculations caused by multiple variables and convergence confinement in 6-DOF trajectory optimization. The simulation results demonstrate that the 6-DOF trajectory optimal strategy for RLV is feasible.

Parameters and Trajectory Overall Optimization Design of the Combined Cycle Engine Reusable Launch Vehicle

Reusable launch vehicle is an important way to realize fast,cheap and reliable space transportation.A combined cycle engine system provides a more efficient and flexible form of power.The investigation on the research status of the combined cycle engine technology,including basic principle,research programs and classification of structure is firstly discussed in this paper.Then the bilevel hierarchical and integrated parameters/trajectory overall optimization technologies are applied to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of overall vehicle design.Simulations are implemented to compare and analyze the effectiveness and adaptability of the two algorithms,in order to provide the technical reserves and beneficial references for further research on combined cycle engine reusable launch vehicles.

Effect of Fuselage Cross Section on Aerodynamic Characteristics of Reusable Launch Vehicles

An experimental study on examining aerodynamic characteristics of fuselage cross sections for RLVs (Reusable Launch Vehicles) was conducted at Mach number 0.3, 0.9 and 4.0 in the wind tunnel of ISAS (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Three bodies, having the same projected area and length, with and without a set of fins, were tested. Their cross sections are a circle, a square and a triangle with rounded corners. The results showed that the fuselage cross sections had large effects on aerodynamic characteristics in subsonic and transonic flow. The lift coefficient of the model having the triangular cross section with a set of the fins was larger than that of the others in high angles of attack region due to contributions of the separation vortices generated from the fuselage expanding to the wing surface.

Re-entry trajectory optimization using a multiple- interval Radau pseudospectral method

Aiming at increasing the calculation efficiency of the pseudospectral methods, a multiple- interval Radau pseudospectral method （RPM） is presented to generate a reusable launch vehicle （RLV） ＇s optimal re-entry trajectory. After dividing the optimal control problem into many intervals, the state and control variables are approximated using many fixed- and low-degree Lagrange polyno- mials in each interval. Convergence of the numerical discretization is then achieved by increasing the number of intervals. With the application of the proposed method, the normal nonlinear program- ming （NLP） problem transcribed from the optimal control problem can avoid being dense because of the low-degree approximation polynomials in each interval. Thus, the NLP solver can easily compute a solution. Finally, simulation results show that the optimized re-entry trajectories satisfy the path constraints and the boundary constraints successfully. Compared with the single interval RPM, the multiple-interval RPM is significantly faster and has higher calculation efficiency. The results indicate that the multiple-interval RPM can be applied for real-time trajectory generation due to its high effi- ciency and high precision.

Optimization design containing dimension and buffer parameters of landing legs for reusable landing vehicle

For the landing legs with single air chamber in the buffer structure of the reusable landing vehicle,the geometric topological models and the dynamic model associated with the hard points of the landing legs are established.The geometric constraint relationship in the design of the landing legs is also obtained.The whole vehicle dropping test is conducted,and the test results agree well with that of the simulation model,which validates the dynamic model.Based on the verified model,the effect of hard point positions on the performance of the landing system is analyzed.The multidisciplinary collaborative optimization algorithm and archive-based micro genetic algorithm(CO-AMGA)are used to optimize the design parameters that contain the hard points and the damper.Compared with artificial iteration,the maximum landing impact acceleration response of the vehicle and the buffer struct maximum force are reduced by 30.70%and 14.51%respectively,and the maximum length of retractable pillar decreases by 8.54%while the design margin increases by 69.11%.The proposed optimization method is efficient and can greatly facilitate the design of landing legs.

Smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for reusable launch vehicles

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to present a sliding mode attitude controller for reusable launch vehicle(RLV)which is nonlinear,coupling,and includes uncertain parameters and external disturbances.Design/methodology/approach–A smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode(NTSM)controller is proposed for RLV in reentry phase.First,a NTSM manifold is proposed for finite-time convergence.Then a smooth second sliding mode controller is designed to establish the sliding mode.An observer is utilized to estimate the lumped disturbance and the estimation result is used for feedforward compensation in the controller.Findings–It is mathematically proved that the proposed sliding mode technique makes the attitude tracking errors converge to zero in finite time and the convergence time is estimated.Simulations are made for RLV through the assumption that aerodynamic parameters and atmospheric density are perturbed.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy is effective,leading to promising performance and robustness.Originality/value–By the proposed controller,the second-order sliding mode is established.The attitude tracking error converges to zero in a finite time.Meanwhile,the chattering is alleviated and a smooth control input is obtained.

Approach and landing guidance design for reusable launch vehicle using multiple sliding surfaces technique

An autonomous approach and landing（A＆L） guidance law is presented in this paper for landing an unpowered reusable launch vehicle（RLV） at the designated runway touchdown. Considering the full nonlinear point-mass dynamics, a guidance scheme is developed in threedimensional space. In order to guarantee a successful A＆L movement, the multiple sliding surfaces guidance（MSSG） technique is applied to derive the closed-loop guidance law, which stems from higher order sliding mode control theory and has advantage in the finite time reaching property.The global stability of the proposed guidance approach is proved by the Lyapunov-based method.The designed guidance law can generate new trajectories on-line without any specific requirement on off-line analysis except for the information on the boundary conditions of the A＆L phase and instantaneous states of the RLV. Therefore, the designed guidance law is flexible enough to target different touchdown points on the runway and is capable of dealing with large initial condition errors resulted from the previous flight phase. Finally, simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed guidance law in different scenarios.