Application of Control Barrier Functions to Collision Free Model Predictive Control: Robust UAV Trajectories with MPC-CBF and Euclidean Signed Distance Fields

Recent literature in real-time trajectory planning has proposed using Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) as collision constraints in Model Predictive Control (MPC) for efficient guidance, a concept referred to as MPC-CBF. This concept has been explored for both first and second-order CBFs. However, these approaches relied on an analytical...

Space Plane Trajectory Optimization: Investigation of a Launch Window Extension by Lateral Motion

Single-Stage-To-Orbit (SSTO) launch vehicles are capable of reaching orbit while being potentially fully reusable. A technology capable of enabling SSTO access to space is the air-breathing engine, which has a high specific impulse and low thrust-over-weight (T/W) ratio compared to conventional rocket engines. This necessitates the use of a...