Reachable-Set Constrained Model Predictive Control for Safe Hypersonic Reentry

This paper investigates the application of reachability analysis within the context of the atmospheric reentry problem. We address the crucial challenge of ensuring reentry vehicle safety by integrating reachability analysis with model predictive control (MPC). Our approach enables the design of controllers with formal safety guarantees under disturbances and uncertainties. Constraints derived from reachability analysis are enforced using both nonlinear and linear time-varying MPC techniques. We further apply tube-based MPC to specifically address nonlinear systems with additive disturbances. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in complex nonlinear reentry scenarios and highlight the significant value of combining reachability analysis with MPC for the development of provably safe control systems operating in uncertain environments.