Location
Cocoa Beach
Start Date
4-1964 8:00 AM
Description
Often it is necessary to begin design studies of a missile launch stand and thrust mount before the final missile configuration has been determined. The thrust mount structure should provide: (1) dynamic stability for the missile-stand combination during captive and holddown firings, (2) sufficient stiffness to prevent excessive displacements during engine start and shutdown , (3) adequate stiffness for hot and cold engine gimbaling checkouts, and (4) sufficient stiffness to provide safe dynamic loads that may result from engine firing malfunctions. This paper provides generalized basic design criteria for the stiffness or spring con stant requirements that should exist at the vehicle attachment points for booster thrusts ranging between 300,000 and 30,000,000 Ib. Failure to meet these criteria could result in damage to a costly space vehicle or missile. These criteria also include overall vertical* lateral, rotational, and torsional stiffness requirements that are presented graphically as thrust versus stiff ness. From a plot of launch stand stiffness versus vehicle-stand frequency, it is shown that the fundamental frequency increases with increasing stiffness up to a definite value of stand stiffness. Thereafter, almost no frequency increase is gained by strengthening the stand beyond this stiffness value.
Thrust Mount and Launch Stand Structural Design Criteria for Large Missiles and Space Vehicles
Cocoa Beach
Often it is necessary to begin design studies of a missile launch stand and thrust mount before the final missile configuration has been determined. The thrust mount structure should provide: (1) dynamic stability for the missile-stand combination during captive and holddown firings, (2) sufficient stiffness to prevent excessive displacements during engine start and shutdown , (3) adequate stiffness for hot and cold engine gimbaling checkouts, and (4) sufficient stiffness to provide safe dynamic loads that may result from engine firing malfunctions. This paper provides generalized basic design criteria for the stiffness or spring con stant requirements that should exist at the vehicle attachment points for booster thrusts ranging between 300,000 and 30,000,000 Ib. Failure to meet these criteria could result in damage to a costly space vehicle or missile. These criteria also include overall vertical* lateral, rotational, and torsional stiffness requirements that are presented graphically as thrust versus stiff ness. From a plot of launch stand stiffness versus vehicle-stand frequency, it is shown that the fundamental frequency increases with increasing stiffness up to a definite value of stand stiffness. Thereafter, almost no frequency increase is gained by strengthening the stand beyond this stiffness value.
Comments
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