A brief experimental investigation was made of the landing-impact characteristics of a l/9-scale dynamic model of a winged space vehicle. The landing tests were made by catapulting a free model onto a hard-surface runway and onto water. The model had a conical fuselage and a flat-plate wing with a basic delta planform and 75° sweepback of, the leading edge. The use of yielding-metal shock absorbers and various landing-gear arrangements was investigated during landing impact.nThe basic landing gear consisted of a dual rubber-tired nose wheel and twin main skids aft of the center of gravity near the wing tips. Landing motion and acceleration data were obtained over a range of landing attitudes, gross weights, and initial sinking speeds. Brief tests were made with an alternate nose-wheel location. An all-skid configuration also was briefly evaluated for hard-surface and- water landings.nThe landing gear employing yielding struts for impact-energy absorption during hard-surface landings resulted in accelerations of approximately 5x1/2g near the nose gear over a range of landing parameters.nReplacing the nose wheel and tire with a skid did not significantly change the accelerations. Landings in smooth water with rigid struts and adequate planing area at the nose skid resulted in a maximum landing acceleration of approximately 4g.
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