Control-oriented low-speed dynamic modeling and trade-off analysis of air-breathing aerospace vehicles

We present a control-oriented low-speed dynamic modeling and trade-off study framework for a conceptual air-breathing horizontal take-off and horizontal landing (HTHL) aerospace vehicle, which is powered by a turbine-based combined cycle engine. First, the 3D class/shape transformation method is modified to enhance the continuity property between different blocks, combined with the power function. Then, the panel method based on potential theory is employed to calculate the pressure distribution over discretized panel surfaces, resulting in the aerospace vehicle’s aerodynamic coefficients. To overcome the intractability of the physics-based model, stepwise regression analysis is adopted and simplified polynomials of aerodynamic coefficients are evaluated. Finally, stability and control analysis is conducted, aiming to find the proper center-of-gravity locations under different constraints. The proposed framework is verified through a conceptual aerospace vehicle simulation, with emphasis on horizontal take-off rotation and landing nose hold-off capabilities. Simulation results indicate that the proposed framework is capable of rapid control-oriented dynamic modeling and iterative design of HTHL aerospace vehicles.