Dynamics analysis of moving mass actuated reentry vehicle

This paper investigates the modeling problem of a reentry vehicle with moving-mass (RVMM) by using global and local approaches. The global approach researches multi-body systems directly. The passive internal forces don't appear in this method, whereas the validity and the governing of the model cannot be ensured because of the complexity of the dynamic expression. The local approach researches a sub-model, such as the moving-mass or the rigid body. Parameters of the RVMM can be optimized using this method. It is the disadvantage of local approach that dynamic equation of the sub-model contains passive internal forces, which must be eliminated in dynamic equation of RVMM system. By combining both approaches above, parameters in attitude dynamics and moving mass dynamics are optimized. Simulation results show that the resulting simplified dynamics, with little dynamics coupling, tracking the complicated model with good performance, can be used as a general model for designing the RVMM autopilot system.