2008 IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control Part of 2008 IEEE Multi-conference on Systems and Control San Antonio,

Texas, USA, September 3-5, 2008

WeB06.2

Tracking of Semi-ballistic Reentry Vehicle

Yongqi Liang and Chongzhao Han
characteristics of SBRV with maneuvers in the vertical plan of its body frame have also been discussed. Some other researches have been done for SBRV [6], [9]-[11], which mainly concerned in the field of control. This paper gives another viewpoint to maneuvers of SBRV in tracking aspect. This paper is a further step research for SBRV, which is organized as follow: model of SBRV with 3 dimension maneuvers is provided in section II. The types of usage and the types of maneuver are analyzed in section III. In sect IV, IMM filter is selected for SBRV. After giving a rule for model-set, a series of model-sets are provided. Section V is about simulation for SBRV with the provided model-sets, which are also compared with conventionally designed model-sets. The conclusions are given in the last section. II. PROCEDURE FOR PAPER SUBMISSION SBRV is treated as a particle. Three significant forces are imposed in SBRV during reentry: the drag force, the gravity, and the always existing lift force. A spherical rotating earth model is assumed. The influence of the Coriolis force and the centrifugal force are both analyzed [1]. Since this paper aims at maneuvering state estimation, they both are not considered for simplicity. The standard atmosphere model is used. Effect of wind is ignored. The ENU-CS is employed in which the dynamic model is described. Maneuver of SBRV origins from asymmetries of its form or mass. For tracking, maneuver of SBRV is alterable if center of mass is controllable. As is shown in Fig. 1, the form of SBRV could be regarded as anomalistic; the point O is centroid; the point O is aerodynamic center of press. The axis should be such a line: if the centroid is superposition with the axis, the lift force is zero. If the center of mass is always in the axis, the reentry flight is the same as that of ballistic reentry vehicle (BRV). If the center of mass leaves the axis, maneuver, which is induced by the lift force, is created; and if the center of mass turns around the axis, the lift force will be in different directions. Module of the lift force will be changed if the vehicle alters distance from centroid to the axis. The lift force

AbstractThis paper is about maneuver estimation of semi-ballistic reentry vehicle (SBRV). As I known, it is the first time that maneuvers of this kind of vehicle are researched in the field of tracking. Firstly, based on 3-dimensional maneuvering model, maneuvers of SBRV are analyzed. Secondly, according to characteristics of SBRV, IMM filter is chosen. With the given rule for model-set, a series of model-sets are designed for tracking of this kind of reentry vehicle (RV). Then, simulations are given to check the effectiveness of the newly designed model-sets. Characteristics of each model-set and the generalized model-set for SBRV are given at last.

ANEUVERING reentry and the corresponding interception are two different but closely related questions. The reentry vehicle (RV) aims at arriving without being intercepted. But interception aims at heading off the RV without mistake. For reentry and interception, the most important thing is state estimation of the RV, which is also a highly complex problem in nonlinear estimation. Of all kinds of maneuvering reentry vehicle, maneuver induced by the variance of structure during reentry is becoming more and more important [1], [6], and [9]-[11]. The essence of SBRV is that the structure is alterable. Maneuver origins from mass or configuration asymmetries; and varies if the structure is changed. With this character, SBRV could be used to change the flight and impacting point. In fact, the overload is also changed when maneuver altered. The problem of state estimation of maneuvering reentry vehicle (MaRV) has received scant attention during the past decades. One of the main problems concerned with MaRV is modeling of it; and the difficulty lies in the complexity of maneuver performance. The most commonly used model for maneuvering reentry vehicle is given by C. B. Chang [2]. Another problem concerned with MaRV is state estimation. The most commonly used method is augment three independent parameters to the state vector to estimate maneuver in different direction of this kind of reentry vehicle [2]. Multiple-model filter has also been used to estimate state of MaRV [4]. Although the model of MaRV could be used for SBRV in general, the vehicle owns a series of characters that make it quiet different from MaRV [1]. Some basic researches for SBRV have been done [1], a model is provided, and Research supported in part by the National Key Fundamental Reasearch & Development Program (973) of China, No. 2007CB311006, National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 60602026 and 60574033. Yongqi Liang and Chongzhao Han are with the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, Shaanxi, 710049, China. (Email : yqi.liang@gmail.com, czhan@mail.xjtu.edu.cn ).

I. INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1. Geometry of aerodynamic

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is also affected by the atmosphere. So the maneuver has different performance according to the structure of reentry vehicle, variation of its centroid, and the initial state of RV. The drag force is opposite to the velocity vector. If maneuver is created, the lift force is in the plane that is vertical to the velocity vector. It has relation to the drag force by the lift induced drag force. It could also be decomposed into the climb force and the turn force. The turn force is parallel to local level; and the climb force is vertical to the turn force. From these two forces, there are two types of maneuvers for SBRV. In some cases, the turn force is zero, the maneuver exists in the vertical plane; in other cases, both of turn force and the climb force exist, so maneuver exists in the 3-dimensional space. Maneuver in the vertical plane and maneuver in the level plane are considered independent. Here the lift force and the turn force are limited, related to drag force, and their ratios have connections to the vehicle type of SBRV [1], [6], such as for the axis-symmetric space craft, the lift-to-drag ratio is often less than 0.5, and for space shuttle, the value could be bigger than 1. The motion of SBRV could be described by the following discrete-time nonlinear dynamic equation: (1) X k + 1 = FX k + Gf ( k , X k ) + w k
X k +1 = [x k +1 X k = [x k
1 0 0 F= 0 0 0
f (k , X k ) = &k y 1 2 2 2 2 & k2 + y &k &k 1 &2 & 2 &2 &k x +z 2 d k td ( xk + y k + z k ) 2 (1 + c1k cd + c2 ktd ) d x 2 & &2 x k + yk & xk 1 2 2 2 2 & k2 + y &k &k + 1 &2 & 2 &2 &k y +z 2 d k td ( xk + y k + z k ) 2 (1 + c1k cd + c2 ktd ) d x 2 &k & k2 x +y 2 2 2 2 2 1 &k + y &k + z &k z & 2 (1 + c1k cd + c2 k td ) d x &k z &2 & 2 &2 & 1 2 d k cd ( xk + y k + z k ) xk & k2 + y & k2 x x &k z y 2 2 2 & & & & ( ) + k x y z y 1 + + 1 d cd k k k k 2 2 2 & k2 + y & k2 ( xk x + yk + ( z k + ae ) 2 ) 2 z + a e 2 2 2 2 2 1 &k + y &k + z &k + y &k &k x + 2 d k cd x

From (1) we can find the difference between SBRV with the equation of MaRV [2] is that the maneuver of SBRV is induced from structure of RV. The lift induced drag is a function of climb-drag ratio and turn-drag ratio. And if ktd and kcd are both zero, the equation of SBRV turns out to be the equation of BRV. For simplicity, if climb-drag ratio is nonzero, its called maneuver in the vertical plane. If turn-drag ratio is nonzero, its called maneuver in the 3-dimensional space. If the ratio does not change, we called it invariable maneuver. If the ratio changes during reentry, we called it variable maneuver. III. MANEUVER OF SBRV The usages of maneuver for SBRV can be divided into three types. Firstly, it could be used for changing the reentry flight. Secondly, it could be used for changing the impacting point. Thirdly, it could be used to reduce the overload. Sometimes only one of these usages is used in application, sometimes two or three are used together. When tracking a SBRV, we dont know when the maneuver will happen. Even if the maneuver is detected, we dont know whether the maneuver is 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional. The maneuver may be symmetry, and also may be non-symmetry. Even if the maneuver is symmetry, its difficult to confirm whether the maneuver appears with the same probabilities in both sides; and also we dont know whether the maneuver varies with a frequency. If the maneuver exists only in the vertical plane and varies with a frequency, it belongs to weave maneuver. If the 3-dimensional maneuver varies with a frequency, its called spiral maneuver. In order to show the maneuver of SBRV, a scenario is chosen: x0 = 232000m , y0 = 0m , z0 = 88000m ,
v0 = 2290m / s , the angel between the horizontal axis and the

& k +1 x &k x

y k +1 yk

& k +1 y &k y zk

z k +1 & k ] z
0 0
T2 2

& k +1 ] z

T 1 0 0 0 0

2 0 0 0 0 T2 0 0 0 0 T 0 1 T 0 0 , G= 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 T 0 0 0 0 1 0

T 0 0

wk = wx

0 0 0 0 T2 2 T

wvx

wy

wvy

wz

wvz

where kcd is the climb-drag ratio, ktd is the turn-drag ratio,

c1 and c2 are two prior parameters connected with the lift

induced drag,

d refer to drag parameter, given by SCD / m through the target mass m , the reference area S , and drag

coefficient CD , generally speaking, CD depends on S and speed, ae is the radius of the earth, and is the Earths gravitational constant.

direction of motion is 0 = 190o . For simplicity, the drag parameter is supposed to be constant before maneuver, because the aerodynamic force is not obviously at the initial part of flight. After maneuver happened, the value will change. Maneuver happens at the time 30s, if the lift-drag ratio is at the maximum value in one direction, the trajectory is called SBRV. If the lift-drag ratio is at the maximum value in inverse direction, the trajectory is called invSBRV. If the maneuver does not happen, the trajectory is called BRV. If the maneuver varies with a frequency, the maneuver trajectory is called VSBRV. For the trajectory of VSBRV in the Fig. 2, the RV begins to change its lift force after the time 75 s . The climb-drag ratio and turn-drag ratio varies their direction every 6 seconds. The maneuver of every kind of trajectories continues until the reentry process ends. The trajectory of VSBRV shown in Fig. 2 is spiral maneuver. Trajectories are compared in Fig. 2. The corresponding velocity curves are shown in Fig. 3. The bound of trajectory and the initial time of maneuver

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x 10

3 dimensions trajectory VSBRV SBRV BRV invSBRV 8 6 z(m) 4 2 0

x 10

x-z projection VSBRV SBRV BRV invSBRV

8 6 z(m) 4 2 0

velocity 2500 VSBRV SBRV BRV invSBRV

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y(m)

VSBRV SBRV BRV invSBRV

v(m/s) 1000

4 2 0 5 -5000 -10000 x 10 x(m) -2 0 y(m) 4 y-z projection x 10

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Fig. 2 3-dimensional trajectories and projections are both important for impact point prediction and interception. Trajectory of SBRV and invSBRV give an region in which the maneuvering reentry trajectory may exist. And every point in this domain is the possible point that the vehicle may pass through. IV. TRACKING FILTER OF SBRV
A. Filter analysis for semi-ballistic reentry movement Maneuver of SBRV is induced by variance of the vehicles structure, which may exist in the vertical plane and level plane of its body frame. The maneuver is described by the climb-drag ratio, turn-drag ratio, and drag parameters. These parameters are unknown for tracking. This means the true mode is unknown. But each unknown parameter has a range in which the value exists. So they can be treated as a three dimensional subspace, bounds in each dimension are the range that the parameter may exists. So the true mode in anytime during reentry is a point in the subspace. Since the true mode is unknown, the three unknown parameters are conventionally augmented into state vector for estimation [2]. The assumptions made in this method are: these estimated parameters are unrelated to state components, and also independence to each other. But this method will decrease the accuracy, and delay maneuver detection for tracking, especially when the maneuver is complex [7]. The interacting multiple-model algorithm (IMM) could be used [3]. In this method, the independence among these unknown parameters and the non-correlation between the unknown parameters and state components are not needed. The drag parameter changes greatly during reentry [5], and the changing is increased when maneuver happens. For SBRV, the climb force and the turn force are both related to the drag force, they may vary greatly during reentry. But the climb-drag ratio and turn-drag ratio are both limited, which are connected to the type of RV; and the drag parameter could be included in a prior known range. Its easy to arrange the corresponding range for each parameters that may cover the true mode; the chosen parameters, climb-drag ratio and

Fig. 3 Velocity of every trajectories turn-drag ratio, both have significant meaning; and the connections of parameters could all be considered. From the analysis above, its easy to find that the multiple-model algorithm meets the needs for state estimation of SBRV.
B. Model set design Let M (n, q, s ) denote a model-set with n models, in each model there are s factors of which each factor has q possible

values. So there are q possible models in total, which not only depends on q but also depends on s . In fact the number of models in model-set could be decreased. M (n, q, s) is the set of all possible model-sets for estimation. Each realization of M (n, q, s ) is a matrix M with n rows and s columns, which means there are n possible combinations for these s factors. Principle for the new model-set is: all possible models of every two factors are included. So the number of models in each model-set is o(q 2 ) . Here the number of models in each model-set doesnt depend on the number of s . These models distribute evenly, and also are well balanced in the s dimensional space. The number of models in model-set is greatly decreased only if s > 2 . 1) Minimum model set Because of the uncertain of maneuver for reentry, the three dimensional maneuvers are considered in general. According to [8], minimum models for the three parameters included model-set are n + 1 = 4 . From the principle given above, the minimum model-set is designed as Fig. 4. The conventionally designed model-set is Fig. 5. In Fig. 5 each factors have 3 possible values. 2) Modified minimum model set Each factor in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 has just 2 possible values, if a new value is increased. There should be 9 models in the model-set according to the rule for model-set given in this paper. But the number is too much for many applications. One method is to modify the minimum model-set by

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increasing one point to the center [8]. This means increase just one point in the center of the model-sets shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. So the modified model-set for 3-D maneuver of SBRV is shown in Fig. 6. The corresponding mode-set according to Fig. 5 is shown in Fig. 7.
Model Set, 4 Models 1

C. Model-sets for SBRV The multiple-model algorithm could be expressed by the Bayesian formula: (t ) = X (t ) P ( M (t )) (2) X M i
i
i

where i is the index of models in the model-set, P( M i ) is the

(t ) is probability of each model at time t , P( M i (t )) = 1 , X M i
i

0.5

-0.5

-1 1 0 y -1 -1 -0.5 x 0 0.5 1

(t ) is the the estimated state gotten from model M i at time t , X estimated state of RV at time t . And for IMM algorithm, all the newly designed model-sets could be used for tracking. In order to estimate the value of true state, we have to design the models in each model-set used for tracking. The dynamic model should be modified according to (1). The first 2 2 modification is to replace the term (1 + c1kcd + c2 ktd ) d by .
2 The second modification is to change the term 1 2 kcd d v

Fig. 4 Minimum model-set

Model Set, 7 Models 1

2 2 into 1 , and change the term 1 into 2 k cd v 2 k td d v 2 2 2 1 , so that 1 , and 1 k v 2 td 2 k cd d v < 2 k cd v

0.5

1 k v 2 < 1 k v 2 2 td d 2 td

. With these three terms changed, the

0 z

-0.5

model (1) could be used to multiple-model algorithm. According to the model of SBRV in (1), the mode space is formed by the three parameters , kld , ktd . At each time, the true state is a mapping from the state space to a point in the mode space. If the maneuver changed, the corresponding point in mode space jumps from point to another point. For each parameter, we can set several values from the range of this parameter in the mode space. And also from these values of each parameter, the model-set could be designed from the rule given. V. SIMULATION All the newly designed model-sets and the conventionally used model-sets, presented from Fig. 4 to Fig. 7, are used in this part to track the maneuvering reentry motion of SBRV. A scenario is given, considering all the maneuvers analyzed in section III. The initial sate is a Gaussian random vector with the mean m 0 = [23200 2290 cos(190 o ) 0 0 88000 2290 sin(190 o ) ] , and variance = diag ([1000 2 20 2 1000 2 20 2 1000 2 20 2 ]) . The lift force is created about 30 s after reentry. At the time 55s, the lift force begins to vary its direction for a period about 6 s by changing the values of the climb-drag ratio and the turn-drag ratio. The shake ends at the time 100 s , the lift force exists until impact. The differences between 3-dimensional maneuver and 2-dimensional maneuver are: when maneuver is created, the turn force and climb force are created together for 3-dimensional maneuver; and only climb force is created for 2-dimensional maneuver. The measurements collected by radar for target tracking, are the range r , bearing b and elevation e . Z = [r b e] . The radar parameters used for simulations are: r = 100 m,

-1 1 0 y -1 -1 -0.5 x 0 0.5 1

Fig. 5 Conventional model-set

Model Set, 5 Models 1

0.5

-0.5

-1 1 0.5 0 -0.5 y -1 -1 -0.5 x 0 0.5 1

Fig. 6 Modified minimum model-set

Model Set, 7 Models 1

0.5

0 z -0.5 -1 1 0.5 0 -0.5 y -1 -1 -0.5 x 0 0.5 1

Fig. 7 Modified conventional model-set

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 b = 0.05rad , e = 0.05 rad . The sample time T = 1s is used.

Detection probability is 1 and false alarm probability equal to 0. Because of the high nonlinearities of SBRV model and the measurement model, unscented filter is used for tracking [12]. All performances are obtained by averaging over 100 independent Monte Carlo runs. The average normalized estimation error squared (ANEES), root mean square (RMS) errors of position and velocity to measure the performance of tracking. ANEES is defined as
ANEES = 1 N i ) Pi 1 ( xi x i ) ( xi x Nn i =1

(7)

i ) and Pi are the state estimation error and the where ( xi x

corresponding covariance in the i th run. n is the state dimension, and N is the total Monte Carlo runs. If the estimation error and the covariance match each other, this always means the model is credible. Filtering with the same condition for different model-set, if ANEES is far away from one, it is easier to say that the model-set is not credible to the scenario. In the opposite direction, if ANEES of a model-set is nearer to one than another model-set, this means the more credibility of the model-set to the scenario.
ANEES 3 Newly designed 4 models included model-set Newly designed 5 models included model-set conventionally used 6 models included model-set Conventionally used 7 models included model-set
rm s pos ition (m ) 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 RMS Position

As is shown in Fig. 8, the newly designed 4 models included 3-dimensional model-set (in Fig. 4), 5 models included 3-dimensional model-set (in Fig. 6), conventionally designed 6 models included 3-dimensional model-set (in Fig. 5), 7 models included 3-dimensional model-set (in Fig. 7) are used to track the 3-dimensional maneuver reentry of SBRV. From simulation, we can find that the newly designed 5models included model-set is best. The 6-models included model-set has similar performance to that of 4-models included model-set. They are both better than 7-models included model-set. Although the four model sets has similar RMS position error, the newly designed model-sets have more credibility and more stability than the conventionally designed model-set. How about the performance of all these model-sets when the maneuver is 2-dimensional in fact? Simulation results are shown in Fig. 9. The result is similar to that of 3-dimensional maneuver in general. The newly designed 5 model included model-set is still the best. Performances of the conventionally designed model-sets are better than the performances of their usage in tracking 3-dimensional maneuver in Fig. 8. And the performances of newly designed model-sets keep them at same level as their usage in tracking 3-dimensional maneuver in Fig. 8.
RMS Velocity 25 Newly designed 4 models included model-set Newly designed 5 models included model-set conventionally used 6 models included model-set Conventionally used 7 models included model-set

2.5

Newly designed 4 models included model-set Newly designed 5 models included model-set conventionally used 6 models included model-set Conventionally used 7 models included model-set
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Fig. 8 ANEES, RMS position error, and RMS velocity error of 3-dimensional maneuvering reentry tracking of SBRV
ANEES 2 Newly designed 4 models included model-set Newly designed 5 models included model-set conventionally used 6 models included model-set Conventionally used 7 models included model-set

RMS Position 160 140 120 rm s po s itio n (m ) 100 80 60 Newly designed 4 models included model-set Newly designed 5 models included model-set conventionally used 6 models included model-set Conventionally used 7 models included model-set
rm s v e lo c ity (m /s ) 25

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Fig. 9 ANEES, RMS position error, and RMS velocity error of 2-dimensional maneuvering reentry tracking of SBRV

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VI. CONCLUSION Maneuvers of SBRV and the corresponding state estimation are studied in this paper. Several typical maneuvers are analyzed based on the 3-dimensional maneuver model. The maneuver may exist in the 3-dimendional space or only in the vertical plane, for example, spiral maneuver, weave maneuver. IMM filter is chosen according to the characteristics of SBRV. Because of the complexity in the changing of parameters, several typical maneuvers are given. And also because of the large number of all possible models, some rules are given to simplify the model-set. A serial of newly designed model-sets are provided. These model-sets include the minimum model-sets and the modified model-sets. Results show the effective of multiple-model algorithm for tracking of SBRV. Performances of these newly designed model-sets are compared to the conventional designed model-sets. In fact, the newly designed model-sets are better than that of conventionally used model-sets with fewer models, more credibility, and more stability. The RMS position error is similar for all these models. The result is more balanced than that of the conventionally used model-sets. From the compare, we can also find that the newly designed 3-dimensional 5-models included model-set could be used for all kinds of maneuver of SBRV. In fact, these newly designed model-sets could be used for other problems that have 2 or 3 unknown factors; each factor has 2 or 3 possible values. And also according to the principles given for model set design, some other model set that have more factors and more possible values also could be designed. REFERENCES
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