Min Gao, Yongwei Zhang, Suochang Yang, Dan Fang. Trajectory Correction Capability Modeling of the Guided Projectiles with Impulse Thrusters

Research Article. — Engineering Letters, 2016. – 8 p.A 6-DOF trajectory model with lateral force is established for guided projectiles with impulse thrusters. The trajectory correction capability is simulated under conditions of different impulse shapes, max lateral forces, impulse durations and total impulses of impulse thrusters. As the simulations indicated, the trajectory correction capability has a linear relationship with the total impulse deployed and steadily increases with the total impulse, but has little relationship with impulse shapes, max lateral forces, or impulse durations. However, the actual trajectory correction capability is degraded because projectiles spin and thrusters act with a short-time delay and a certain duration. The function is formulated between the trajectory capability and the impulse duration, projectile spin rate, and impulse action delay. Live firing experiments indicate that the simulations and formulations are effective for engineering design of trajectory correction projectiles with impulse thrusters.