Wind-tunnel tests were made of a family of models representing launch vehicles on the launching pad. Model characteristics which were varied included fineness ratio, stage diameter ratio, scale, frequency, mass, damping, surface roughness, and payload shape. Steady ground winds were simulated at Reynolds numbers up to 10 million based on the diameter of the upper stage. Measurements were made of the dynamic and steady-state bending moments, the steady-state forces, and the fluctuating and steady-state pressures acting on the models. A limited number of flow studies and wake surveys were also made. A large body of dynamic and steady-state response data is presented to show the amplitude and statistical nature of the induced loads. Spectral and cross-spectral analyses of the aerodynamic input, response, and wake pressures are also presented.
展开▼
