Modeling, PID control and simulation of a rocket launcher system

Rocket Launcher Systems are mechanisms that carry rockets and orient them to targets. A Rocket Launcher System (RLS) has two degrees of freedom; it rotates about -z and -y axes to provide azimuth (yaw) and elevation (pitch) angles respectively. Azimuth and elevation axes are actuated by servo motors and a set of gears. The aim of the control for the RLS is to attain the elevation and azimuth angles with desired speeds and also, if salvo firings (periodic firings with constant time interval) are needed, to keep azimuth and elevation axes on the target. This paper first develops the mathematical model of the Launcher System, and then presents control applications for the launcher with simulations. In the simulations, salvo firing model is applied to launcher to disturb positioning and the responses of the controller to firing disturbances are obtained.