AERODYNAMIC STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OBTAINED FROM AUTOPILOT-CONTROLLED SUPERSONIC TEST VEHICLES
Abstract
SUPERSONIC TEST VEHICLES WERE USED IN THE EARLY STAGE OF A MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO OBTAIN FLIGHT AERODYNAMIC INFORMATION ANDTO CONFIRM PERFORMANCE ESTIMATES MADE USING WIND TUNNEL DATA AND THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS. THE TEST VEHICLE USED WAS A ROCKET-PROPELLED BODY OF REVOLUTION HAVING FOUR LONG, VERY LOW-ASPECTRATIO WINGS IN CRUCIFORM ARRANGEMENT IN LINE WITH TAIL CONTROL SURFACES. A RATE AND ACCELERATION FEEDBACK AUTOPILOT WAS USED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE THROUGHOUT A FLIGHT OF PROGRAMMED MANEUVERS. THE VEHICLE AND TEST-RANGE INSTRUMENTATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT REDUCTION OF THE DATA TO AERODYNAMIC COEFFICIENT FORM ARE DISCUSSED. THE VEHICLE'S NON-LINEAR NORMAL FORCE AND PITCHING MOMENT CHARACTERISTICS WERE DETERMINED AT A MACH NUMBER OF APPROXIMATELY TWO AND THEY AGREE FAVORABLY WITH THE WIND TUNNEL RESULTS. THE DRAG VALUES OBTAINED FROM THIS FLIGHT WERE 17( HIGHER THAN ESTIMATED AND THESE VALUES WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CONFIRMED BY ADDITIONAL FLIGHT DATA
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0285788
Entities
People
- E.t. Marley
Organizations
- AGARD