Analytical Guidance for Reentry Vehicles Based on Range–Energy Efficiency

Abstract

To address the reentry guidance problem of hypersonic glide vehicles under complex constraints and terminal area energy management (TAEM), a nonlinear analytical guidance method based on the concept of range–energy efficiency (REE) is proposed. First, a linear energy dissipation mode is proposed following an analysis of the dynamic relationship between energy and range-to-go. By establishing the REE variable based on this energy dissipation mode, the method transforms the problem of tracking the energy versus range-to-go profile into a time-domain regulation problem of REE. It eliminates the need for optimal design of profile parameters and prediction of range-to-go. Subsequently, a nonlinear guidance model for normalized range-to-go and energy is established. A fixed-time analytical guidance law with filter error compensation is then designed, enabling approximately linear convergence of normalized range-to-go and energy, thereby achieving effective regulation of REE. Finally, numerical simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits mission adaptability and robustness against uncertainties in aerodynamic coefficients, validating its effectiveness for online guidance applications.