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At least 901 records · Page 50

Effects of rocket jet on stability and control at high Mach numbers

Paper presents the results of an investigation to determine the jet-interference effects which may occur at high jet static-pressure ratios and high Mach numbers. Tests were made in the Langley 11-inch hypersonic tunnel at a Mach number of 6.86.

Fetterman, David E , Jr↗

Determination of stability and control derivatives from the NASA F/A-18 HARV from flight data using the maximum likelihood method

This report is a compilation of PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) results for both longitudinal and lateral directional analysis that was completed during Fall 1994. It had earlier established that the maneuvers available for PID containing independent control surface inputs from OBES were not well suited for extracting the cross-coupling static (i.e., C(sub N beta)) or dynamic (i.e., C(sub Npf)) derivatives. This was due to the fact that these maneuvers were designed with the goal of minimizing any lateral directional motion during longitudinal maneuvers and vice-versa. This allows for greater simplification in the aerodynamic model as far as coupling between longitudinal and lateral directions is concerned. As a result, efforts were made to reanalyze this data and extract static and dynamic derivatives for the F/A-18 HARV (High Angle of Attack Research Vehicle) without the inclusion of the cross-coupling terms such that more accurate estimates of classical model terms could be acquired. Four longitudinal flights containing static PID maneuvers were examined. The classical state equations already available in pEst for alphadot, qdot and thetadot were used. Three lateral directional flights of PID static maneuvers were also examined. The classical state equations already available in pEst for betadot, p dot, rdot and phi dot were used. Enclosed with this document are the full set of longitudinal and lateral directional parameter estimate plots showing coefficient estimates along with Cramer-Rao bounds. In addition, a representative time history match for each type of meneuver tested at each angle of attack is also enclosed.

Napolitano, Marcello R.↗

Static Stability and Control Characteristics of a 0.5-Scale Model of the Hughes GAR-11 Missile at Mach Numbers from 1.60 to 2.30

Normal forces, axial forces, pitching moments, and rolling moments on the model and hinge moments on each of the four control surfaces were measured. Control surfaces were deflected from -35 deg to 15 deg in various combinations to produce pitching, yawing, and rolling moments on the model over a range of angles of attack from -5 deg to 25 deg at roll angles from -135 deg to 45 deg.

Wong, Norman D.↗

Effect of Various Modifications on Drag and Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics at Transonic Speeds of a Model of the XF7U-1 Tailless Airplane: NACA Wing-FLow Method, TED No. NACA DE 307

An investigation was made by the NACA wing-flow method to determine the drag, pitching-moment, lift, and angle-of-attack characteristics at transonic speeds of various configurations of a semispan model of an early configuration of the XF7U-1 tailless airplane. The results of the tests indicated that for the basic configuration with undeflected ailavator, the zero-lift drag rise occurred at a Mach number of about 0.85 and that about a five-fold increase in drag occurred through the transonic speed range. The results of the tests also indicated that the drag increment produced by -8.0 degrees deflection of the ailavator increased with increase in normal-force coefficient and was smaller at speeds above than at speeds below the drag rise. The drag increment produced by 35 degree deflection of the speed brakes varied from 0.040 to 0.074 depending on the normal-force coefficient and Mach number. These values correspond to drag coefficients of about 0.40 and 0.75 based on speed-brake frontal area. Removal of the fin produced a small positive drag increment at a given normal-force coefficient at speeds during the drag rise. A large forward shift of the neutral-point location occurred at Mach numbers above about 0.90 upon removal of the fin, and also a considerable forward shift throughout the Mach number range occurred upon deflection of the speed brakes. Ailavator ineffectiveness or reversal at low deflections, similar to that determined in previous tests of the basic configuration of the model in the Mach number range from about 0.93 to 1.0, was found for the fin-off configuration and for the model equipped with skewed (more highly sweptback) hinge-line ailavators. With the speed brakes deflected, little or no loss in the incremental pitching moment produced by deflection of the ailavator from O degrees to -8.00 degrees occurred in the Mach number range from 0.85 to 1.0 in contrast to a considerable loss found in previous tests with the speed brakes off.

Sawyer, Richard H.↗

Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of a Semispan Wind-Tunnel Model of the XF7U-1 Airplane and a Comparison with Complete-Model Wind-Tunnel Tests and Semispan-Model Wing-Flow Tests

An investigation was conducted on an 0.08-scale semispan model of the Chance Vought XF7U-1 airplane in the Langley high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel in the Mach number range from 0.40 to 0.97. The results are compared with those obtained with an 0.08-scale sting-mounted complete model tested in the same tunnel and with an 0.026-scale semispan model tested by the wing-flow method. The lift-curve slopes obtained for the 0.08-scale semispan model and the 0.026-scale wing-flow model were in good agreement but both were generally lower than the values obtained for the sting model. The results of an unpublished investigation have shown that tunnel-wall boundary-layer and strut-leakage effects can came the difference noted between the lift-curve slopes of the sting and the semispan data. Fair agreement was obtained among the data of the three models as regard the variation of pitching-moment coefficients with lift coefficient. The agreement between the complete and the semispan models was more favorable with the vertical fine on, because the wall-boundary-layer and strut leakage effects were less severe. In the Mach number range between 0.94 and 0.97, ailavator-control reversal was indicated in the wing-flow data near zero lift; Whereas, these same trends were indicated in the larger scale semispan data at somewhat higher lift coefficients.

Goodson, Kenneth W.↗

Ares-I-X Stability and Control Flight Test: Analysis and Plans

The flight test of the Ares I-X vehicle provides a unique opportunity to reduce risk of the design of the Ares I vehicle and test out design, math modeling, and analysis methods. One of the key features of the Ares I design is the significant static aerodynamic instability coupled with the relatively flexible vehicle - potentially resulting in a challenging controls problem to provide adequate flight path performance while also providing adequate structural mode damping and preventing adverse control coupling to the flexible structural modes. Another challenge is to obtain enough data from the single flight to be able to conduct analysis showing the effectiveness of the controls solutions and have data to inform design decisions for Ares I. This paper will outline the modeling approaches and control system design to conduct this flight test, and also the system identification techniques developed to extract key information such as control system performance (gain/phase margins, for example), structural dynamics responses, and aerodynamic model estimations.

Brandon, Jay M.↗

X-48B Flight Research Progress Overview

Program Objectives; I. Assess stability & control characteristics of a BWB class vehicle in free-flight conditions: a) Assess dynamic interaction of control surfaces; b) Assess control requirements to accommodate asymmetric thrust; c) Assess stability and controllability about each axis at a range of flight conditions II. Assess flight control algorithms designed to provide desired flight characteristics: a) Assess control surface allocation and blending; b) Assess edge of envelope protection schemes; c) Assess takeoff and landing characteristics; d) Test experimental control laws and control design methods. III. Evaluate prediction and test methods for BWB class vehicles: a) Correlate flight measurements with ground-based predictions and measurements.

Risch, Tim↗

Electric Machine with Boosted Inductance to Stabilize Current Control

High-powered motors typically have very low resistance and inductance (R and L) in their windings. This makes the pulse-width modulated (PWM) control of the current very difficult, especially when the bus voltage (V) is high. These R and L values are dictated by the motor size, torque (Kt), and back-emf (Kb) constants. These constants are in turn set by the voltage and the actuation torque-speed requirements. This problem is often addressed by placing inductive chokes within the controller. This approach is undesirable in that space is taken and heat is added to the controller. By keeping the same motor frame, reducing the wire size, and placing a correspondingly larger number of turns in each slot, the resistance, inductance, torque constant, and back-emf constant are all increased. The increased inductance aids the current control but ruins the Kt and Kb selections. If, however, a fraction of the turns is moved from their "correct slot" to an "incorrect slot," the increased R and L values are retained, but the Kt and Kb values are restored to the desired values. This approach assumes that increased resistance is acceptable to a degree. In effect, the heat allocated to the added inductance has been moved from the controller to the motor body, which in some cases is preferred.

Abel, Steve↗

Investigation of Reduced-Order Modeling for Aircraft Stability and Control Prediction

High-fidelity computational fluid dynamics tools offer the potential to approximate increments for ground-to-flight scaling effects, as well as to augment the dynamic damping derivative data for motion-based flight simulators. Unfortunately, the computational expense is currently prohibitive for populating a complete simulator database. This work investigates an existing surrogate-based, indicial response reduced-order model methodology as a means to efficiently augment a flight simulator database with high-fidelity nonlinear aerodynamic damping derivatives. Creation of the reduced-order model is based on the superposition integrals of the step response with the derivative of its corresponding input signal. Step responses are calculated using a computational grid motion approach that separates the effects of angle of attack and sideslip angle from angular rates, and rates from angle of attack and sideslip. It is demonstrated that the transients produced during the start of a forced-oscillation motion are captured by the reduced-order model to the level of fidelity of a comparable computational solution. Aerodynamic coefficients computed within minutes by the reduced-order model for an aircraft undergoing an 18-second half Lazy-8 maneuver and a 25-second Immelmann turn maneuver are compared with those from full computational flight solutions that required days to complete. Finally, a cost-benefit assessment is included that demonstrates a compelling advantage for this approach. d for maneuvering, flexible vehicles.

Frink, Neal T.↗

An Attitude Control Design for the Cassini Spacecraft

The Cassini planetary mission to Saturn and Titan requires accurate pointing and complex maneuvers of the spacecraft, which is comprised of a Saturn orbiter and Titan probe. An attitude control design is described to achieve the many capabilities of Cassini including thrust vector control, precision pointing and stability control for remote sciences, tracking of a probe released to the Titan atmosphere, and radar mapping of the Titan surface. Additional constraints for control design have been imposed by a high percentage of liquid propellant (60% at launch) land lowly damped flexible spacecraft appendages. Computer simulation results of attitude determination, pointing and maneuver controls are provided to demonstrate the design capability.

Cassini↗