Receding-horizon solution to the minimum-interception-time problem

Abstract

The control problem addressed in this chapter is not rigorously a stabilization problem. Therefore, none of the generic theories proposed in the first part of this book can be directly applied. Indeed, the problem in this chapter is a Rendez-vous problem where a missile has to hit some target in a minimum time. A schematic view of the problem is depicted on Figure 11.1. A missile having at some instant t the position Pm(t) = (xm(t), hm (t)) aims to intercept a target on the basis of some predicted future trajectory. This prediction is provided by some ground follower that feeds the missile with this prediction and updates it regularly. For security reasons, the interception has to occur in minimum time before the target achieve some bad works.