US 5,425,514 A · Modular aerodynamic gyrodynamic intelligent controlled projectile and method of operating same

Abstract

A spinning projectile is described including a roll rate sensor for providing a spin frequency signal, a nutation frequency signal and a precession frequency signal and a seeker for providing a boresight angle signal. The spinning projectile further includes a torquer assembly, responsive to a control signal, for selectively providing a force in a desired lateral direction and a digital signal processor, responsive to the spin frequency signal, the nutation frequency signal, the precession frequency signal and the boresight angle signal, for providing a control signal to the torquer assembly to control the desired direction of the force. With such an arrangement, a projectile is provided having greater maneuverability wherein an increase in maneuver footprint is obtained by having the maneuver force equal the sum of the rocket force and the body force rather than being a difference as in known projectiles.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A spinning projectile comprising:

(a) means for providing a spin frequency signal, a nutation frequency signal and a precession frequency signal;
(b) means for providing a boresight error angle signal;
(c) means, responsive to a control signal, for selectively providing a force in a desired lateral direction comprising:
(i) means for firing a thrust rocket to provide a constant thrust vector in a lateral direction spinning at the spin rate of the projectile;
(ii) means for inertially, stabilizing the constant thrust vector in a desired direction to maneuver the spinning projectile in a corresponding desired direction;
and
(iii) means for respinning the constant thrust vector such that the thrust vector Spins at the spin rate of the projectile;
and
(d) means, responsive to the spin frequency signal, the nutation frequency signal, the precession frequency signal and the boresight error angle signal, for providing the control signal to the selectively providing a force means to control the desired lateral direction of the force.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modular aerodynamic gyrodynamic intelligent controlled projectile and method of operating same

Life of this patent

Modular aerodynamic gyrodynamic intelligent controlled projectile and method of operating same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8