In　the　course　of　the　re-entry　of　air-breathing　hypersonic　vehicles　(AHV),　many　difficulties　exist　such　as　complex　non-linearity,　strong　coupling　between　dynamic　model　channels　and　aerodynamic　coefficient　and　aerodynamic　moment　coefficient　perturbation.Therefore,　a　attitude　control　method　combining　time　delay　compensation　control　and　terminal　sliding　mode　control　was　designed.Firstly,　based　on　the　attitude　dynamic　model　of　AHV　re-entry　flight　phase,　considering　the　uncertainty　caused　by　the　aerodynamic　parameter　perturbation,　mathematical　models　of　AHV　re-entry　flight　phase　suitable　for　the　design　of　control　systems　was　built.Then,　the　mathematical　model　was　decomposed　into　two-loop　subsystems　based　on　multi-time　scale　theory,　and　for　the　two　subsystems,　the　delay　compensation　improved　terminal　sliding　mode　control　algorithm　was　designed　respectively　to　complete　the　re-entry　attitude　control　of　AHV.On　the　basis　of　improved　terminal　sliding　mode　control,　the　model　uncertainties　were　estimated　accurately　by　the　time　delay　compensation　control　theory　which　could　be　realized　easily　in　engineering.Based　on　Lyapunov　theory,　the　tracking　error　of　attitude　angle　and　attitude　angular　velocity　converged　to　zero　in　finite　time　was　proved.The　proposed　method　has　better　simple　algorithm　design　and　is　easy　to　apply　in　engineering,　and　meanwhile　the　defects　of　the　compensation　term　needs　to　be　partially　known　is　avoided.Simulation　results　show　that　the　designed　control　strategy　based　on　time　delay　compensation　has　the　advantages　of　short　adjustment　time　(within　1　s),　small　overshoot　and　excellent　tracking　accuracy.　©　2019,　Editorial　Board　of　Journal　of　Huazhong　University　of　Science　and　Technology.　All　right　reserved.