Developing an Adaptive TVC System for High-G Propulsion Control in Missile Interceptors

Missile interceptors employ various propulsion control systems to provide trajectory corrections or to maintain flight stability under a wide range of aerodynamic loads and during multiple stages of flight. As a result, the propulsion control system design in these missiles has numerous challenges. Future missile interceptor systems need better propulsion control systems to enable improved acceleration rates and faster response times. The optoXense-University of South Florida (USF) team proposes a novel adaptive thrust vector control (TVC) architecture forhigh-g propulsion control in advanced missile interceptors that could provide increased mission flexibility and has the potential to increase agility by enabling faster response times. Stability conditions for the overall closed-loop system and bounds on the error signals will be derived. The proposed technology can operate over a wide range of aerodynamic and aerothermal loading conditions, can be compatible with existing propulsion systems, and it is applicable across multiple propulsion platforms. In Phase-I, optoXense will conduct the feasibility study of the proposed adaptive propulsion control technology. In Phase-II, optoXense will expand on Phase I results by producing components and demonstrating technology through prototype testing. optoXense will expand on Phase-II results by optimizing designs for integration into a future MDA missile system.Approved for Public Release | 17-MDA-9395(24 Oct 17)