Autonomous Flight Termination via GPS Trajectory Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft flight control systems for autonomous launch vehicle termination require human intervention and redundant systems, increasing operational costs and limiting flexibility in launch operations.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous flight termination system that includes a GPS receiver, a system controller, and a failsafe controller, which determines the vehicle's trajectory and autonomously terminates the flight if it deviates from predetermined safety bounds or if the system encounters an error state, eliminating the need for human operators and redundant units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human operators are used to monitor and decide on flight termination, then reliability of termination decision is improved, but operational cost increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight termination system performs self-monitoring and self-decision-making through autonomous controllers that continuously assess flight parameters and automatically initiate termination when safety bounds are violated, eliminating the need for human operators to make termination decisions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human operators with electronic autonomous controllers and GPS-based monitoring systems that automatically detect trajectory deviations and execute termination commands without human intervention
2Reliability
If redundant onboard termination units are implemented, then reliability of flight termination is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a hierarchical controller architecture with primary and backup controllers that are pre-configured with failover capabilities, allowing the system to automatically switch to a standby controller if the primary fails, providing reliability without requiring fully redundant duplicate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous controllers are designed with multi-functional capabilities, serving both as primary flight termination decision-makers and as backup systems for each other, eliminating the need for dedicated single-purpose redundant units
3Productivity
If autonomous termination system is implemented, then operational cost is reduced and flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous flight termination system is divided into functional modules including GPS receivers, autonomous controllers, and termination execution mechanisms, allowing each segment to be independently optimized and maintained while reducing overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous flight termination system for terminating vehicle flight after the vehicle is launched from an aircraft includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver; a termination unit selected from a cut-off switch connected to terminate vehicle flight when actuated, and a switch connected to detonate an explosive on the vehicle; a system controller for receiving a first signal indicating separation of the vehicle from the aircraft and a second signal from the GPS receiver to calculate an actual vehicle trajectory, and for sending a third signal to actuate the termination unit to terminate the flight of the vehicle when the actual vehicle trajectory is determined to be outside the safety bounds of a mission-planned flight trajectory; and a failsafe controller connected to receive operational data of the system controller, and to actuate the termination unit when the operational data indicates that the system is in an error state.