WIND TUNNEL INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE STATIC STABILITY AND PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL-SCALE MODELS OF THE TITAN III/MOL LAUNCH CONFIGURATION AT MACH NUMBERS FROM 0.60 TO 3.10
Abstract
Models of the Titan 3 Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) launch vehicle were tested in Tunnels 16T and 16S of the Propulsion Wind Tunnel Facility at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 3.10 to determine pressure and acoustical characteristics for structural design confirmation and to obtain force balance data for flight control and trajectory analysis. A calibration cone was also tested to evaluate tunnel background noise in the Titan 3 MOL acoustical data. Force data were obtained by using four internal balances to sense separate aerodynamic loads on the composite model and on the MOL, MOL-Gemini, and solid rocket motors (SRM) sections. Modification of the SRM noses to a less blunt configuration resulted in a reduction of composite and SRM axial load and tended to position the composite longitudinal neutral point at a more forward location. Lateral neutral point for the composite model exhibited a maximum travel of 2.6 core diameters for the 0.60 and 3.10 Mach number range whereas the longitudinal neutral-point travel was 1.0 diameters. The acoustical results are not presented in this report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0801873
Entities
People
- C. D. Riddle
- J. A. Black
- T. O. Shadow
Organizations
- Arnold Engineering Development Complex