Missile and Rocket Simulations in C++

Missile and Rocket Simulations in C++

Take your missile or rocket to your virtual test range, that is your computer. Before you do, take my course and learn all about how to model missiles and rockets at fidelities that approach the real world with its six-degrees-of-freedom and uncertainties. Start with my C++ simulations and modify them for your concepts.

(Please note, this course teaches the inner workings of high fidelity missile and rocket simulations, assuming prior knowledge of missile and rocket flight dynamics and control.)

I provide you with four prototypes: air-to-ground missile, air-to-air missile, surface-to-air-missile, and surface-to-space rocket. You should come prepared with a solid foundation in aerodynamics, guidance and control, and C++ programming. Then study my 17 lectures and do the 24 exercises, using my four C++ simulations.

The air-to-ground missile with its IR seeker is either locked on the target before launch or is given target coordinates after launch by the aircraft via data link for midcourse guidance. The target can move and maneuver on the ground. The missile’s aerodynamics are modeled in aeroballistic axes, and its autopilot consists of roll-, rate- and acceleration controllers. Proportional guidance, driven by the IR seeker, is used to home into the target. You will explore its performance with my AGM6 simulation, plot trajectories and create performance footprints.

With the air-to-air missile you protect the launch aircraft against an incoming missile. Here you study how missiles and aircraft are modeled with different fidelities. The self-protection missile is modeled in 6 DoF, the attacking missile in 5 DoF, and the aircraft in 3 DoF. Aerodynamics and autopilots are structured accordingly. Full 6 DoF aerodynamics in body axes for the self-protection missiles with full-up autopilot, IR seeker, and compensated pro-nav. The 5 DoF attacking missile is provided with trimmed aerodynamics, a simplified autopilot, and a kinematic seeker, while the 3 DoF aircraft is simply described by lift-slope and wing-loading, open-loop maneuvering, and a radar that tracks the incoming missile. You task will be, using my AAM6 simulation, to explore the launch envelope of the self-protection missile and its intercept accuracy.

Now I reverse the scenario and launch surface-to-air missiles against incoming short-range ballistic rockets and aircraft. Their ground radar serves to acquire and track the targets until they are within the acquisition range of the missiles for launch. Either IR or RF seekers will track the targets in the terminal engagement. I demonstrate the multi-object power of C++ by launching three missiles against three targets. Afterwards, you will follow my demonstrations by running the SAM6 simulation.

Finally, the surface-to-space rocket will take us to orbit. Our three-stage solid rocket booster has no control fins and is steered by thrust-vector control and reaction jets. To meet very stringent on-orbital conditions, an elaborate guidance scheme is used, based on the time-honored linear tangent guidance law. A key navigation part is the inertial navigation system updated by GPS and star-trackers, requiring the use of the WGS84 ellipsoidal earth model. You will run my SSR6 simulation with all its noise sources in the Monte Carlo mode to determine the accuracy of the insertion in terms of its mean and bivariate elliptical distribution.

As you diligently attend my 17 lectures, do the exercises, and study the code, you empower yourself to host your own design in my CADAC++ framework and take it to your virtual flight test range.

Your Virtual Test Range

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What you will learn

• Discover how high-fidelity missile and rocket simulations are built
• Fly over the 'flat earth' and the 'WGS84 ellipsoidal earth' in six degrees-of-freedom
• Model aerodynamics in aeroballistic and body axes

Rating: 2.5

Level: Expert Level

Duration: 13 hours

Instructor: Peter H Zipfel