A lateral retro system to achieve angular and linear separation between a spinning terminal stage and payload
Abstract
A lateral retro system was developed by CELESCO Industries Inc. to provide angular and linear separation between the ATHENA terminal stage and payload to avoid radar interference between the reentering objects. The system utilizes onboard magnetometers as roll attitude and rate sensors to determine the proper times to introduce a large coning motion and ignite the retro motors. The times are computed onboard to control the resultant retro thrust direction and achieve the desired combination of angular and linear separation relative to the radar. This system has been successfully flown on a series of missions from Wake Island to the Kwajalein missile range.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, 13th Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- January 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975aiaa.meetR....G
- Keywords:
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- Lateral Control;
- Missile Control;
- Radar Tracking;
- Retrothrust;
- Stage Separation;
- Thrust Programming;
- Airborne/Spaceborne Computers;
- Angular Distribution;
- Reentry Range;
- Thrust Vector Control;
- Astrodynamics