Underwater vehicle dynamics modeling enhanced navigation with releasable training system

A program product comprising:

• a processor readable medium having instructions stored thereon, executable by at least one processor, to perform a method comprising:
• providing a model based navigation system for vehicle dynamics modeling navigation of an underwater vehicle, the model based navigation system comprising a strapdown navigation processor that hosts a navigation and sea state model, a propagator-estimator filter;
• and a vehicle physics model;
• generating inertial sensor data from a set of inertial sensors coupled to a vehicle platform of the underwater vehicle;
• sending the inertial sensor data to the strapdown navigation processor, wherein a navigation solution for the vehicle platform is computed by the strapdown navigation processor;
• generating platform input measurements from a set of platform input sensors that receive platform input data for the vehicle platform, the platform input measurements indicative of forces acting on the vehicle platform;
• sending the platform input measurements to the vehicle physics model;
• performing calculations in the vehicle physics model utilizing dynamics equations for a rigid body corresponding to the vehicle platform to generate vehicle data;
• sending the vehicle data to the propagator-estimator filter;
• determining one or more depth measurements for the vehicle platform using a depth sensor coupled to the vehicle platform;
• sending the one or more depth measurements to the propagator-estimator filter;
• determining position and velocity measurements using at least one aiding source on a tethered platform coupled to the vehicle platform;
• transmitting the position and velocity measurements from the tethered platform to the propagator-estimator filter;
• computing navigation corrections in the propagator-estimator filter;
• sending the navigation corrections from the propagator-estimator filter to the strapdown navigation processor;
• computing an updated navigation solution in the strapdown navigation processor based on the inertial sensor data and the navigation corrections;
• and
• sending the updated navigation solution from the strapdown navigation processor to a vehicle control system for use in navigating the vehicle platform.

A method comprising:

• providing a vehicle platform of an underwater vehicle;
• providing a model based navigation system for vehicle dynamics modeling navigation of the underwater vehicle, the model based navigation system comprising:
• a strapdown navigation processor that hosts a navigation and sea state model;
• a propagator-estimator filter in operative communication with the strapdown navigation processor;
• and
• a vehicle physics model in operative communication with the propagator-estimator filter and the strapdown navigation processor;
• providing a tethered platform releasably coupled to the vehicle platform, the tethered platform in operative communication with the model based navigation system;
• generating inertial sensor data from a set of inertial sensors coupled to the vehicle platform;
• sending the inertial sensor data to the strapdown navigation processor;
• generating platform input measurements from a set of platform input sensors that receive platform input data for the vehicle platform, the platform input measurements indicative of forces acting on the vehicle platform;
• sending the platform input measurements to the vehicle physics model;
• performing calculations in the vehicle physics model utilizing dynamics equations for a rigid body corresponding to the vehicle platform to generate vehicle data;
• sending the vehicle data to the propagator-estimator filter;
• determining one or more depth measurements for the vehicle platform using a depth sensor coupled to the vehicle platform;
• sending the one or more depth measurements to the propagator-estimator filter;
• determining position and velocity measurements using at least one aiding source on the tethered platform;
• transmitting the position and velocity measurements from the tethered platform to the propagator-estimator filter;
• computing navigation corrections in the propagator-estimator filter;
• sending the navigation corrections from the propagator-estimator filter to the strapdown navigation processor;
• computing an updated navigation solution in the strapdown navigation processor based on the inertial sensor data and the navigation corrections;
• and
• sending the updated navigation solution from the strapdown navigation processor to a vehicle control system for use in navigating the vehicle platform.