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Rocket flight equations, spacecraft construction, interplanetary exploration, solar energy, human engineering, and instrumentation for space flight
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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Rocket flight equations, spacecraft construction, interplanetary exploration, solar energy, human engineering, and instrumentation for space flight
Model to determine vaporization rate of liquid fuel droplet
Direct measurements of electron and ion density by rockets, and equations for collision-dominated spherical probe of ionosphere
Onboard computer equations for rocket vehicle guidance to elliptical orbit, discussing iteration absence from computations and digital simulation results
Onboard computer equations for rocket vehicle guidance to elliptical orbit, discussing iteration absence from computations and digital simulation results
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Researchers and small companies have been investigating and developing new solid rocket motor propellant ingredients with renewed vigor. Lithium-aluminum alloy is an ingredient of particular interest, but most of the advertisement about its benefits are focused on defense tactical rocket applications. This paper develops a framework to evaluate this and other propellants against standard aluminized composite propellant for mass-limited missions like many NASA in-space applications. It shows a way to estimate density’s effect with an exponent less than 1 depending on mission and technology parameters, and an algorithm for directly calculating delta-velocity or payload performance improvement.
Effective air launching of a rocket is approached from a broad systems engineering viewpoint. The elementary reasons for why and how a rocket might be launched from a carrier aircraft are examined. From this, a carefully crafted set of guiding principles is presented. Rules are generated from a fundamental foundation, derived from NASA systems study analyses and from an academic vantage point. The Appendix includes the derivation of a revised Mass Multiplier Equation, useful in understanding the rocket equation as it applies to real vehicles, without the need of complicated weight and sizing programs. The rationale for air launching, being an enormously advantageous Earth-To-Orbit (ETO) methodology, is presented along with the realization that the appropriate air launch solution may lie in a very large class of carrier aircraft; the pod-hauler. Finally, a unique area of the system trade space is defined and branded Crossbow. Crossbow is not a specific hardware design for air launch, but represents a comprehensive vision for commercial, military and space transportation. This document serves as a starting point for future technical papers that evaluate the air launch hypotheses and assertions produced during the past several years of study on the subject.
Simultaneous linear equation solution of rocket thrust augmentation problem
Correlation equations for predicting gas-side heat transfer of axisymmetric rocket engine nozzles
Mathematical equations simulate the operation of a rocket engine, simulate destructive and nondestructive tests to verify engine design feasibility, and investigate nonlinear variations in engine performance.
Working equations for dimensions and orientation of impinging propellant sheets in liquid rocket engine injectors
A system of equations which models the motion of the Solid Rocket Booster Nose Cap upon separation is described. The computer program which utilizes these equations to generate nose cap trajectories is described in detail. Application of the program to simulate a rocket sled test of the nose cap separation is discussed and the results of the applications are presented. With the information given a user should be able to exercise the computer program with a minimum of effort.
Energetic particle detectors were included in the payloads of two rockets launched in Peru during the Condor campaign of 1983. These night-time flights reached altitudes of 587 and 535 km, respectively. The pitch-angle distribution is anisotropic with the maximum at 90 deg. Each payload included two solid-state detectors differing in the thickness of the aluminum coating. Comparison of the fluxes measured by the two detectors leads to the conclusion that, on both occasions, the energetic particles are predominantly helium ions. The flux is small below 200 km, increases linearly to 350 km, and then more slowly to apogee. The east-west asymmetry of flux, noted at 200 km in a previous equatorial launch, is not seen at greater altitudes, consistent with the flux profile and the large gyroradius of the ions.
Motion equations of spin stabilized rocket under thrust with jet damping, variable mass and momentum effects and all angular disturbances
Motion equations of spin-stabilized rocket under thrust with jet damping, variable mass and momentum effects and all angular disturbances
Perturbation solutions of differential equations of motion for low-thrust rocket trajectories