UpSTAGE Missile Flight Control System

In this paper the control of lifting bodies is discussed from the standpoint of a particular lifting body application, namely, the UpSTAGE interceptor. A brief description of the interceptor is given, along with a discussion of the command logic required to capitalize on the advantages of the lifting body in this application. The plant and control mechanism are discussed to illustrate the major sources of cross-axis coupling in the control problem. Finally, the control design approach used, which combines some modern control techniques with classical analysis tools, is discussed, and the philosophy employed in countering the major cross-axis coupling term is outlined.