{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/50126"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/50126","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Trajectory optimization for a fixed trim re-entry vehicle using direct collocation with nonlinear programming","abstract":"A procedure is developed to calculate locally optimal trajectories for a class of fixed-trim atmospheric re-entry vehicles. A four degree-of-freedom vehicle model is introduced and appropriate environmental models are chosen and implemented. Software is developed to discretize the optimal control problem using a direct collocation method. The resulting parameter optimization problem is solved using the MINOS non-linear programming software package. The resulting collocation guidance software is tested using data for the Kistler K-1 vehicle system and an existing vehicle simulation. Mass, wind, density, and entry angle dispersions are considered, as are various strategies for updating the trajectory during flight. The results demonstrate that the collocation method is a viable approach to the re-entry vehicle guidance problem. The collocation method integrates the vehicle equations of motion to a useful degree of accuracy using as few as 10 nodes, and the resulting control histories yield acceptably small final position errors.","abstract_html":"A procedure is developed to calculate locally optimal trajectories for a class of fixed-trim atmospheric re-entry vehicles. A four degree-of-freedom vehicle model is introduced and appropriate environmental models are chosen and implemented. Software is developed to discretize the optimal control problem using a direct collocation method. The resulting parameter optimization problem is solved using the MINOS non-linear programming software package. The resulting collocation guidance software is tested using data for the Kistler K-1 vehicle system and an existing vehicle simulation. Mass, wind, density, and entry angle dispersions are considered, as are various strategies for updating the trajectory during flight. The results demonstrate that the collocation method is a viable approach to the re-entry vehicle guidance problem. The collocation method integrates the vehicle equations of motion to a useful degree of accuracy using as few as 10 nodes, and the resulting control histories yield acceptably small final position errors.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bibeau, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1975-"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Rudrapatna Ramnath."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1999,"date_issued":"1999","date_published":"1999","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:34Z","subjects":["Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"rights_urls":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50126","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Rudrapatna Ramnath."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.other","label":"Dc Contributor Other","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bibeau, Robert T. 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They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50126"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1999.","Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-143)."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["A procedure is developed to calculate locally optimal trajectories for a class of fixed-trim atmospheric re-entry vehicles. A four degree-of-freedom vehicle model is introduced and appropriate environmental models are chosen and implemented. Software is developed to discretize the optimal control problem using a direct collocation method. The resulting parameter optimization problem is solved using the MINOS non-linear programming software package. The resulting collocation guidance software is tested using data for the Kistler K-1 vehicle system and an existing vehicle simulation. Mass, wind, density, and entry angle dispersions are considered, as are various strategies for updating the trajectory during flight. The results demonstrate that the collocation method is a viable approach to the re-entry vehicle guidance problem. The collocation method integrates the vehicle equations of motion to a useful degree of accuracy using as few as 10 nodes, and the resulting control histories yield acceptably small final position errors."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["S.M."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Trajectory optimization for a fixed trim re-entry vehicle using direct collocation with nonlinear programming"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Rudrapatna Ramnath."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"dc:creator":["Bibeau, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1975-"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2009-12-10T19:16:15Z"],"dc:date.available":["2009-12-10T19:16:15Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1999"],"dc:description":["Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1999.","Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-143)."],"dc:description.abstract":["A procedure is developed to calculate locally optimal trajectories for a class of fixed-trim atmospheric re-entry vehicles. A four degree-of-freedom vehicle model is introduced and appropriate environmental models are chosen and implemented. Software is developed to discretize the optimal control problem using a direct collocation method. The resulting parameter optimization problem is solved using the MINOS non-linear programming software package. The resulting collocation guidance software is tested using data for the Kistler K-1 vehicle system and an existing vehicle simulation. Mass, wind, density, and entry angle dispersions are considered, as are various strategies for updating the trajectory during flight. The results demonstrate that the collocation method is a viable approach to the re-entry vehicle guidance problem. The collocation method integrates the vehicle equations of motion to a useful degree of accuracy using as few as 10 nodes, and the resulting control histories yield acceptably small final position errors."],"dc:description.degree":["S.M."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50126"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"dc:rights.uri":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"dc:subject":["Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"dc:title":["Trajectory optimization for a fixed trim re-entry vehicle using direct collocation with nonlinear programming"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:34Z"}