Predictor-searcher guidance for powered descent under multiple constraints

A novel guidance method called Predictor-Searcher Guidance (PSG) is proposed for the multi-constrained powered descent phase of a landing mission. The idea of the PSG method is to predict the state of the probe in a short prediction horizon and search the guidance database for the optimal control corresponding to the desired state. The dynamics of the probe is decoupled into the controllable dynamics and the uncontrollable dynamics, and the former is used to generate guidance database satisfying multiple constraints. To improve the speed and accuracy of the predictor, a predicted state space is constructed by superposing the offline controllable motion and the online uncontrollable motion, and a space correction is used to eliminate errors caused by the offline data. To improve the smoothness of the thrust and the speed of the searcher, a Global-Local Mixed Search (GLMS) algorithm and a Variable Density Search (VDS) algorithm are designed. Finally, the PSG method is simulated in a landing mission on asteroid 101 955 Bennu. Results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves precision landing capabilities under the simultaneous influence of thrust magnitude, direction, and glide-slope constraints, while maintaining computationally efficient guidance command generation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Chinese Journal of Aeronautics
Published
2025-08-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2025.103759
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.99

Funders

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article

Predictor-searcher guidance for powered descent under multiple constraints

Zixuan Liang, Shengying Zhu, Zhehao Xing
1 citations
Chinese Journal of Aeronautics
Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
4.99
article

Predictor-searcher guidance for powered descent under multiple constraints

Zixuan Liang, Shengying Zhu, Zhehao Xing
article en
1 citations

Abstract

A novel guidance method called Predictor-Searcher Guidance (PSG) is proposed for the multi-constrained powered descent phase of a landing mission. The idea of the PSG method is to predict the state of the probe in a short prediction horizon and search the guidance database for the optimal control corresponding to the desired state. The dynamics of the probe is decoupled into the controllable dynamics and the uncontrollable dynamics, and the former is used to generate guidance database satisfying multiple constraints. To improve the speed and accuracy of the predictor, a predicted state space is constructed by superposing the offline controllable motion and the online uncontrollable motion, and a space correction is used to eliminate errors caused by the offline data. To improve the smoothness of the thrust and the speed of the searcher, a Global-Local Mixed Search (GLMS) algorithm and a Variable Density Search (VDS) algorithm are designed. Finally, the PSG method is simulated in a landing mission on asteroid 101 955 Bennu. Results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves precision landing capabilities under the simultaneous influence of thrust magnitude, direction, and glide-slope constraints, while maintaining computationally efficient guidance command generation.

Chinese Journal of Aeronautics
Beijing Institute of Technology (CN), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
4.99
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