Title

Flight Simulation of Orbital and Reentry Vehicles Part IV - A Study of Earth Oblateness Effects and Characteristic Oscillatory Motions of a Lifting Reentry Vehicle

Description

The present report is concerned with two distinct aspects of the simulation problem for a lifting reentry vehicle.

The first relates to the effects of earth oblateness on the flight path of such a vehicle. The effects of oblateness of the gravity field on the orbital motion of a satellite are surveyed and are found to be small for a single orbit, probably sufficiently small to be neglected in a simulation for training purposes. Some of these effects are cumulative and would become substantial in a flight of long duration. The effects of oblateness of the earth's surface and atmosphere on the reentry trajectory are studied independently of the gravity oblateness effects. Typical trajectories are computed for the case of a nonrotating earth. Under the most extreme conditions, there is found to be a change in range of 690 nautical miles for a nominal once-around flight.

The second aspect relates to the characteristic oscillatory motion of the vehicle during reentry. The pertinent literature on the topic is surveyed. Approximate expressions for the period of the characteristic long-period and short-period oscillations are presented.

Date

1961

Index Abstract

Contrails only

Photo Quality

Not Needed

Report Number

ASD TR 61-171 (IV)

Corporate Author

University of Michigan

Laboratory

Behavioral Sciences Laboratory

Extent

26

Identifier

AD0274251

Access Rights

OTS

Distribution Classification

1

Contract

AF 33(616)-8385

DoD Project

6114

DoD Task

611407

DTIC Record Exists

Yes

Distribution Change Authority Correspondence

None

Abstract

The present report is concerned with two distinct aspects of the simulation problem for a lifting reentry vehicle.

The first relates to the effects of earth oblateness on the flight path of such a vehicle. The effects of oblateness of the gravity field on the orbital motion of a satellite are surveyed and are found to be small for a single orbit, probably sufficiently small to be neglected in a simulation for training purposes. Some of these effects are cumulative and would become substantial in a flight of long duration. The effects of oblateness of the earth's surface and atmosphere on the reentry trajectory are studied independently of the gravity oblateness effects. Typical trajectories are computed for the case of a nonrotating earth. Under the most extreme conditions, there is found to be a change in range of 690 nautical miles for a nominal once-around flight.

The second aspect relates to the characteristic oscillatory motion of the vehicle during reentry. The pertinent literature on the topic is surveyed. Approximate expressions for the period of the characteristic long-period and short-period oscillations are presented.

Report Availability

Full text available

Date Issued

1961-12

Provenance

RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Type

report

Format

1 online resource (vi, 20 pages) : ill.

Creator

Isakson, Gabriel

Subject

Descent Trajectories

Reentry Vehicles

Surfaces

Flight

Mathematical Analysis

Configurations

Artificial Satellites

Geometry

Gravity

Earth (Planet)

Lift

Oscillation

Delta Wings

Celestial Mechanics

Motion

Atmosphere Entry

Simulation

Publisher

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH :Behavioral Sciences Laboratory, Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories, Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, United States Air Force