Discrete Sliding Mode Control Technique Applied to Reusable Launch Vehicle

Researchers are amassed in building up a cutting edge technology for launch vehicle. Systems like Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) are subjected to changes in mission specification and disturbances, and demands the development of robust control systems. Current scenario considers the Discrete Time Sliding Mode Control (DSMC), which is still an open area of research. It is one of the robust and effective techniques for analyzing the dynamics of uncertain systems. The longitudinal dynamics of the re-entry vehicle is considered as the plant. A DSMC controller was designed based on Gao's reaching law. Pole placement technique was used in the design of sliding surface. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed controller can effectively tackle matched uncertainities and disturbances.