Time-varying analysis of a guidance system

IN A RECENT PAPER1 the author presented a method of analyzing time-varying sampled-data systems. The essential features of this method are the characterization of components by triangular transmission matrices, and the use of ordinary matrix algebra to evaluate system performance. The purpose of the present paper is to illustrate by a typical problem how this method can be used in practical situations. The problem selected is that of steering a missile toward a target (both of which travel in a common plane) by means of a closed-loop control system. In addition to the intrinsic importance of this problem, the procedure one uses in the matrix analysis of the system is characteristic of a variety of problems. Since the objective here is illustration of a general method rather than detailed investigation of an actual system, simplifying assumptions will be used where convenient. In practice, these assumptions may have to be modified to obtain more precise results.