The effect of the Magnus moment on the motion stability of an asymmetric flight vehicle

The effect of the Magnus moment on the vibrational motion of an asymmetric flight vehicle relative to its center of mass is investigated analytically using asymptotic methods of nonlinear mechanics. For both resonance and nonresonance motion, averaged equations are obtained which allow the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the effect of the Magnus moment on the angular motion of an asymmetric rotating flight vehicle. In the nonresonance case, the Magnus moment is shown to reduce the damping of free vibrations and to result, at high angular velocities relative to the longitudinal axis, in a loss of stability of the transverse vibrations of the flight vehicle. In the resonance case, the Magnus moment increases the forced component of the solid angle of attack associated with the asymmetry of the flight vehicle.