Model predictive control for powered descent guidance and control

Future safety critical space missions call for increasing levels of embedded spacecraft autonomy. Spacecraft and mission responsiveness will be highly improved via onboard automation and autonomy functions, simplifying operations and ground control capabilities. Recently developed real-time embedded MPC guidance and control strategies have a great potential for the next generation of high performance reusable ESA launch vehicles and GNC systems. This paper addresses these technologies for real-time embedded MPC covering thrust vectored control that could be proficiently used during the ascent phase as well as on powered descent enabling accurate pin-point landing features.