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Meeting	ACGS Committee Meeting 112 - Annapolis, Maryland - October 2013
Agenda Location	7 SUBCOMMITTEE C – AVIONICS AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION 7.2 Real-Time Convex Optimization for Autonomous GN&C: A Progress Update
Title	Real-Time Convex Optimization for Autonomous GN&C: A Progress Update
Presenter	Behcet Acikmese
Affiliation	University of Texas at Austin
Available Downloads*	presentation
	Downloads are available to members who are logged in and either Active* or attended this meeting.
Abstract	Dr. Acikmese's research group at University of Texas at Austin developed the first online optimization based real-time trajectory planning algorithm that flew on NASA Flight Opportunities Program test rocket, call ``Xombie". The algorithm is called G-FOLD (Guidance for Fuel Optimal Large Diverts), which is based on a novel lossless convexification of the optimal control problem associated with the planetary pinpoint landing. This seminar will discuss the theoretical foundations of the algorithm and the development of the real-time optimization algorithm that executed autonomously onboard the rocket. The key method that enabled the real-time execution of the algorithm is the development of a ``custom Interior Point Method" (IPM) specifically for this class of problems. This increased computation speed more than 2 orders of magnitude, bringing down the computation times to below 100 ms on the flight computer. Convexification techniques with real-time custom IPMs can enable solution of many useful optimal control and optimization problems onboard unmanned vehicles, enabling much greater autonomy than currently possible, and providing high mission performance. We also present several interesting application examples from aerospace engineering.