Abstract: Current targeting approaches involve guiding to a spatially derived guidepoint of a group of objects likely to be the preferred object. This method may not allow the intercepting missile to contain the preferred, or other probable object(s), within its divert capability. The guidepoint is shifted closer to the preferred object using specific energy and angular momentum, constants of orbital motion, which describe properties of an object's trajectory. Guiding to the specific energy derived guidepoint does not offer significant benefit over guiding to the spatially derived guidance point. However, computing the spatial rate of change of specific energy within the plane formed by the guidance objects establishes a vector pointing close to the preferred object. This is the direction to shift the guidepoint in order to contain the preferred object within the interceptor's divert capability.

Abstract: A method of selecting a sub-set of a plurality of available sensors to guide an interceptor to a target is described. The method includes characterizing a quality of position estimate received from each of the plurality of available sensors, projecting the positioning errors of the sensors onto a plane normal to a line-of-sight of the interceptor, and selecting the sub-set of the plurality of available sensors based on the projection of positioning errors.