Design and Application of an Adaptive Tracking Filter Control System

The design of an adaptive tracking filter control system and its application to large flexible booster vehicles is described. The problem of elastic vehicle stability is considered along with its solution by conventional and adaptive techniques. The improvement in vehicle stability, which may be achieved with the adaptive tracking filter technique as compared to conventional techniques, is shown. The control system evolved uses two adaptive tracking filters to phase stabilize the first and second bending modes, in addition to conventional compensation techniques. The application of this adaptive technique to a vehicle in which the modal frequencies are in close proximity (<2.5 percent separation) is discussed. The mechanization of the adaptive control system involves the selection of design techniques and components that are electrically and physically compatible with the intended airborne application. The development of a suitable frequency tracking technique and tracking filter is described, in addition to the electronic and mechanical design of the adaptive control system prototype.