Genetic algorithms-based method for disturbance attenuation in flight control systems

Due to fast varying flight conditions, the dynamics of space vehicle such as RLV (reusable launch vehicle) are usually coupled with unpredictable disturbances, which, if not properly attenuated, could significantly deteriorate the vehicle flight performance. This paper explores a new approach to reducing the affect of external disturbances on RLV by using genetic algorithms (GA). By carefully selecting a fitness function related to Euler angles tracking errors, we use GA to search for an "optimal" compensating unit to "fight" against the external disturbances for better tracking performance. Unlike most existing robust control schemes, the proposed method does not involve analytically estimating the bounds of the nonlinearities and disturbances, making it more feasible for design and implementation