A Real-Time Algorithm for Non-Convex Powered Descent Guidance [pdf]

  • I must be half asleep, I was expecting some novel machine learning algorithm. I was pleasantly surprised to find a spaceflight algorthim instead.

    I am completely out of my depth, so have nothing constructive to add. But it sounds interesting.

  • This is the algorithm SpaceX uses to catch rockets. If you watch any of the landings/chopstick catches, you’ll notice that they don’t seem to oscillate back and forth like a lot of control systems we’re “used to” seeing.

    This algorithm is why! Super cool.

  • Reminds me of L. Blackmore’s https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Lossless-Convexificati...

  • Would love to see this control a classic Lunar Lander type game such as http://moonlander.seb.ly/