SOUNDING ROCKET POST-BURNOUT STABILIZATION STUDY.
Abstract
The stability conditions for a sounding rocket have been examined by expressing the Euler equations of motion in terms of power. Stability criteria were derived from this power in Euler quantities and their time derivatives. Data for a divergent Nike-Tomahawk flight were examined on the basis of momentum, energy and power about the roll and transverse axes and correlated with the derived power expression and with aerodynamic input power. Coning divergence appears to be initiated by a perturbation at last stage burnout, which is followed by a transient phase of about four seconds duration during which energy is being fed into the vehicle transverse axis. This transient phase is characterized by a coning rate higher than the natural pitch frequency and by raped increase in coning angle. One hypothesis put forth as a possible source of the transverse energy was parametric pumping due to the non-alignment of the coning axis and velocity vector. Design criteria were established for a damper mounted on a de-spun portion of the vehicle. This damper is de-coupled from the roll motion and, therefore, acts directly to absorb energy out of the transverse axis. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 04, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0691512
Entities
People
- Donald H. Fryklund
- Oiva R. Anderson