Guidance of a gliding vehicle is disclosed. A method of the invention
allows the range of the glide phase of a gliding vehicle to be maximized,
while satisfying final flight path angle and aimpoint requirements. The
method controls the time-of-flight of the gliding value to a desired
value. The time-of-flight control can correct for winds, off-nominal
launch conditions, and rocket motor variations, among other factors. Both
time-of-flight control and range and cross-range maximization can be
achieved by the inventive method, utilizing a compact closed-loop
approach.
