The IXV vehicle model identification subsystem: Off-line estimation framework

•Off-line vehicle model identification based on in-flight measurements.•Design and validation of steps, techniques and algorithms applied to flight data.•Vehicle Model Identification Framework architecture and operational sequence.•Trajectory reconstruction based on IMU and GPS PVT measurements.•Estimation of aerodynamic stability and control derivatives.

The Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) is an ESA re-entry technological platform built to verify in-flight the performance of critical re-entry technologies. The successful flight of the IXV provides the key elements to consolidate the knowledge necessary for the development of future European re-entry systems.The exploitation of in-flight data represents a cornerstone for this flying test bench. In this frame the IXV Vehicle Model Identification subsystem, VMI, represents those steps, techniques and algorithms that shall be applied to the collected data in order to improve the prediction capabilities for future design of re-entry vehicles and specifically to:●Improve IXV flight dynamics model.●Validate aerodynamic prediction methods based on Wind Tunnel Tests, WTT, and Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD.●Validate the vehicle model identification process and tools.