Tests of Long Wire Deployment from Supersonic Rockets.

摘要

The report covers preliminary studies undertaken to develop a technique for using ballistic missiles to tow long conducting wires into thunderclouds. This work was in support of experiments for artificially triggering lightning discharges in clouds. Some elementary,highly idealized mechanical properties of long wires are reviewed,and two approaches to high speed wire dispensing were chosen for experimentation. The mechanical configurations used are described in detail and the results of actual rocket tests at White Sands Missile Range are given. (Author)