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by kuyakev on February 9th, 2007

kuyakev

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If the space shuttle didn't "roll" during launch, would it break up because of such high load forces?

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  • by canadianhelper on February 9th, 2007

    canadianhelper

    The "Ascent Guidance and Flight Control Training Manual," ASC G&C 2102,
    says:

    "During the vertical rise phase, the launch pad attitude is
    commanded until an I-loaded V(rel) sufficient to assure launch tower
    clearance is achieved. Then, the tilt maneuver (roll program)
    orients the vehicle to a heads down attitude required to generate a
    negative q-alpha, which in turn alleviates structural loading. Other
    advantages with this attitude are performance gain, decreased abort
    maneuver complexity, improved S-band look angles, and crew view of
    the horizon. The tilt maneuver is also required to start gaining
    downrange velocity to achieve the main engine cutoff (MECO) target
    in second stage."

    This really is a good answer, but it's couched in NASA jargon. I'll try
    to interpret.

    1) We wait until the Shuttle clears the tower before rolling.

    2) Then, we roll the Shuttle around so that the angle of attack
    between the wind caused by passage through the atmosphere (the
    "relative wind") and the chord of the wings (the imaginary line
    between the leading edge and the trailing edge) is a slightly
    negative angle ("a negative q-alpha"). This causes a little bit of
    "downward" force (toward the belly of the Orbiter, or the +Z
    direction) and this force "alleviates structural loading."
    We have to be careful about those wings -- they're about the
    most "delicate" part of the vehicle.

    http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4411/faq07-schedule.html


    Not an exact answer but hopefully helpful

    Video STS 1 Launch

    Comments

    • Very good reply (I think)....didn't really understand all of it, but I gave it 2 points. I never watch the videos (computer's too slow), but I did read the answer.

      mystified

      by mystified on February 9th, 2007

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