Engineering topics

Goodrick, Thomas F.

Publications and source records attributed to Goodrick, Thomas F..

2 records

NASA NTRS1995

Gravity Slides With Magnetic Braking

Slides with magnetic braking enable safe emergency descent from tall buildings, fire-truck ladders, towers, and like. According to concept, slide includes sled that moves along stationary aluminum track tilted against top of building. Sled holds set of permanent magnets at preset small distance from surface of track. Passenger stands on, sits on, or strapped to platform on sled. Release device at top of slide holds sled in place until passenger prepared for descent.

Goodrick, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Methodology and critical performance characteristics of aerobrake maneuvers for earth return

An effective general methodology for aerobraking in medium and high energy earth returns either with transfer to LEO or return to the surface is presented. Equations are derived or reformulated to indicate performance bounds for a generic aerobrake maneuver whose primary goal is the safe capture of a returning spacecraft. A secondary goal of this maneuver is the ability to maximize the range of entry conditions while minimizing both the strain of thermal and structural loads and the propulsive effort required to achieve a particular destination orbit.

Goodrick, Thomas F.↗