Abstract

In this paper, we consider an optimal guidance problem with both the terminal impact angle and control constraints in addition to the usual zero miss distance constraint. We first present the optimal solution of the problem for the missile of an arbitrary order, and show that it is a linear combination of a step response and a ramp response of the missile. Therefore the usual practice of using the control obtained by saturating the optimal solution for the case of unlimited control may result in a large terminal miss. A method called the initial command saturation is suggested to reduce this terminal miss, where the control in the initial phase of guidance is forced to be saturated until a certain condition for a guidance variable is met.

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