Fixed Range Horizon MPPI-based Missile Computational Guidance for Constrained Impact Angle

This paper presents a new computational guidance algorithm based on the Model Predictive Path Integral (MPPI) control for missiles with the impact angle, seeker’s look angle, and acceleration constraints. The MPPI control is one of the optimization approaches using the stochastic process, and the optimal control input is determined using sample trajectories generated by propagating the system model. Thus, the MPPI control can be considered as a data-driven method for solving nonlinear and constrained optimization problems. The proposed guidance algorithm consists of the proportional navigation (PN) guidance command with a time-varying gain to be optimized at every guidance cycle by utilizing the iterative path integral technique in conjunction with the importance sampling under the model predictive control (MPC) philosophy. Unlike existing approaches, this approach allows us to effectively solve nonlinear guidance problems without the convexification or linearization process. It can also adapt to environmental changes by reflecting the current system state variables. Furthermore, unlike other computational guidance approaches, the proposed algorithm does not rely on a dedicated solver for optimization problems. In this study, numerical simulations are performed to investigate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed guidance algorithm.