Title :
Pitch control of the space shuttle training aircraft
Author :
Berenji, Hamid R. ; Saraf, Sujit ; Chang, Ping-Wei ; Swanson, Steven R.
Author_Institution :
Comput. Sci. Div., NASA Ames Res. Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
fDate :
5/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A set of shuttle training aircrafts (STAs) are used by NASA to train astronaut pilots to land the space shuttle after returning from orbit. The STA simulates the dynamics of the much larger and heavier space shuttle with the help of some hardware and software modifications. We present a STA controller that tracks the shuttle pitch trajectory. Our control system includes a feedforward controller based on zero phase error tracking control and a fuzzy proportional derivative (PD) feedback controller. Test results on a ground hardware simulator used at the Ellington Field of NASA Johnson Space Center show that the new controller significantly reduces pitch following errors between the shuttle and the STA, when compared to the existing controller
Keywords :
attitude control; dynamics; feedforward; fuzzy control; space vehicles; two-term control; Ellington Field; NASA Johnson Space Center; astronaut pilots; feedforward controller; fuzzy proportional derivative feedback controller; ground hardware simulator; pitch control; pitch following errors; space shuttle training aircraft; zero phase error tracking control; Aerospace control; Aircraft; Control systems; Error correction; Hardware; NASA; PD control; Proportional control; Space shuttles; Trajectory;
Journal_Title :
Control Systems Technology, IEEE Transactions on
