Flight Dynamics and Control Challenges of Hypersonic Glide Vehicles: A Case Study on the GHGV-2

Abstract

The Generic Hypersonic Glide Vehicle 2 (GHGV-2), developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), provides a reference platform for analyzing the physical and technical capabilities of hypersonic glide vehicles. The vehicle exhibits several interrelated challenges, including unstable modes, rapidly varying operating conditions, strict state constraints, and actuator redundancy with asymmetric and state-dependent limitations. This work introduces the GHGV-2 configuration and mission profile, and systematically reviews the principal control challenges that have been identified. Potential solution strategies, such as nonlinear inversion with incremental and adaptive extensions, advanced constraint-aware allocation, and safety-critical methods based on control barrier functions, are discussed in the context of current research. In this way, the study provides a structured perspective that links the challenges of GHGV-2 to ongoing developments in hypersonic flight dynamics and control.