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Closed-loop actuator identification for Brazilian Thrust Vector Control

development

Article · December 2016

DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2016.09.080

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Proceedings of the 20th IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Aerospace, Sherbrooke, ThPM2.4
Quebec, Canada, August 21-25, 2016

Closed-loop actuator identification for

Brazilian Thrust Vector Control
development
Timo Wekerle ∗ Euler Gonçalves Barbosa ∗∗
César Moura Batagini ∗∗ Luı́s E. V. Loures da Costa ∗∗∗
Luı́s Gonzaga Trabasso ∗∗∗
∗
Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and Institute of
Aeronautics and Space (IAE), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
(e-mail: timotw@ita.br).
∗∗
Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE), São José dos Campos,
SP, Brazil (e-mail: euleregb@iae.cta.br and cesarcmb@iae.cta.br).
∗∗∗
Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA), São José dos Campos,
SP, Brazil (e-mail: loures@ita.br and gonzaga@ita.br).

Abstract: This paper presents the current status of the development of a Thrust Vector Control
system for new Brazilian launch vehicles, looking for the highest performance by closed-loop
servo hydraulic actuator identification. Therefore, a test environment with a mass-spring test
bench is introduced. Engineering models of two different types of actuators, three-way and
four-way valve controlled pistons with direct drive control valves are developed. The dynamic
responses are experimentally determined and subsequently mathematically modeled.

Keywords: GNC, Attitude control, Thrust Vector Control, Actuators, Closed-loop

identification

1. INTRODUCTION 2. THRUST VECTOR CONTROL

The Brazilian Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE)
and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are cooperating
in the development of the sounding rocket VS-50, a sub-
orbital launch vehicle for micro-gravity experiments. The
first flight of the VS-50 is planed for 2018, consisting of a
two-stage sounding rocket using the existent upper stage
motor S44 and the S50 motor as first stage, currently under
development in Brazil. Based on VS-50, a satellite launch
vehicle for Mini-, Micro-, and Nano-Satellites is projected,
called VLM-1 (Veı́culo Lancador de Microssatelites or Mi-
crosatellite Launch Vehicle). A first possible configuration
may be a 3-stage solid propelled launch vehicle with two
S50 motors and one S44 motor as upper stage, depicted
in Fig. 1. For the first stages of VLM-1 vehicle a Thrust
Vector Control (TVC) system is being developed in Brazil.
Fig. 1. Concept for VLM-1 satellite launch vehicle
Thrust Vector Control systems can be used in sounding
rockets in order to reduce the impact dispersion, simulat-
ing a kilometer long launcher rail. That can be achieved
by keeping the attitude of the vehicle constant during the
guidance period. According to Ljunge (2009), actuation
systems may also reduce the sensitivity to wind and thrust
misalignment can be compensated. For a satellite launch
vehicle the mission defines its trajectory. The trajectory in
turn is defined by the specification of the vehicles attitude
during flight and can be determined by linear and angular
velocities over time. The reference trajectory acts as input
of the attitude control system, which determines amongst
others performance parameters of the TVC system.
The mechanism of a Thrust Vector Control of rocket mo-
tors and engines is responsible for deflecting the exhaust
gases in order to guide and steer the vehicle. Using a single
nozzle which is aligned with the vehicle main axis, angular
velocities and accelerations of pitch (raise or lower the nose
of a vehicle) and yaw (turn the nose sideways) can be
controlled, as schematically depicted in Fig. 2. In order to
control roll moments, different mechanisms can be used
like aerodynamic fins, vanes, separate roll thrusters, gas
generator output, solid motors, hot or cold gas system.

Copyright © 2016 IFAC 1

Fig. 14. Step response of actuator with four-way valve controlled piston on test bench; Input signal YCM D (t),
experimental data Yreal (t), model from time domain analysis Ytime domain (t) and model from frequency domain
analysis Yf requency domain (t) plotted over time
A step response YCM D(t) with an amplitude corresponding
to 0.5◦ of vector angle deflection of the nozzle is illustrated
in Fig. 14 with the output response obtained from model
from time domain analysis Ytime domain (t), from frequency
domain analysis Yf requency domain (t) and the experimental
data Yreal (t). The best matching is obtained from the
model of frequency domain analysis in Eq. 3.
According to Merritt (1967), the open-loop operation of
these actuators has a dynamic of third order, see Eq.
1, however, the stiffness of the spring is so low, that
its respective open-loop pole is located far away from
the dominant poles of the closed-loop system. Until the
excitation frequencies realized during the tests (0.5Hz up
to 12Hz), the closed-loop operation presents a typical first
order dynamic system behavior.
8. CONCLUDING REMARKS
The development of a Brazilian thrust vector control sys-
tem for the Microsatellite Launch Vehicle VLM-1 is in-
troduced. The verification approach through Hardware-in-
the-Loop testing is outlined and the Brazilian TVC design
is compared to similar systems, available in literature. Two
different actuator configurations are presented, three-way
and four-way valve controlled pistons. The identification
process of the dynamics of the thrust vectoring control
actuators is described, which is based on a test bench
with a mass-spring-load. Experimental results for the four-
way valve controlled piston are obtained and used for
approximation of the actuator transfer function. Linear
first order models were generated from frequency domain
and from time response analysis. A comparison to exper-
imental results show a satisfactory fitting. However, the
models have to be verified with non-linear joint stiffness
of the flexible nozzle. Future work includes experimental
comparison with the three-way valve controlled piston.
The results of the identification will allow the choice for
the most adequate TVC actuator and subsequently an op-
timization of the controller and mechanical improvements
for the development of an actuator qualification model.
Copyright © 2016 IFAC
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