Energy Management of Manned Boost-Glide Vehicles: A Historical Perspective

By: Administration (Nasa), National Aeronaut

As flight progressed from propellers to jets to rockets, the propulsive energy grew exponentially. With the development of rocket-only boosted vehicles, energy management of these boost-gliders became a distinct requirement for the unpowered return to base, alternate landing site, or water-parachute landing, starting with the X-series rocket aircraft and terminating with the present-day Shuttle. The problem presented here consists of: speed (kinetic energy) - altitude (potential energy) - steep glide angles created by low lift-to-drag ratios (L/D) - distance to landing site - and the bothersome effects of the atmospheric characteristics varying with altitude. The primary discussion regards post-boost, stabilized glides; however, the effects of centrifugal and geopotential acceleration are discussed as well. The aircraft and spacecraft discussed here are the X-1, X-2, X-15, and the Shuttle; and to a lesser, comparative extent, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and lifting bodies. The footprints, landfalls, and methods developed for energy management are also described. The essential tools required for energy management - simulator planning, instrumentation, radar, telemetry, extended land or water range, Mission Control Center (with specialist controllers), and emergency alternate landing sites - were first established through development of early concepts and were then validated by research flight tests. Day, Richard E. Armstrong Flight Research Center NASA/TP-2004-212037, H-2494 036-00-00-GM-TT

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08FTBPHVW
• ISBN13: 9798676365004
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 74 Pages
• Weight: 0.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"