Structural analysis and testing of the Pegasus air-launched space booster
Abstract
Finite-element analyses performed to simulate captive carry and flight loads on Pegasus' wing, cases, saddle, and truss system are presented, along with buckling analyses undertaken to determine the stability margins of the three pressure vessels, skirts, and interstage. Structural testing of the Pegasus launch vehicle propulsion system performed in order to validate analytical results and verify the structural integrity of the saddle and pressure vessel designs, is addressed. Each stage of the propulsion system was subject to testing at 1.25 time the maximum expected load conditions and included hydroproof, carry load, and flight load testing. It is noted that saddle and case predicted strains match the experimentally measured strains within a range of 2 to 10 percent.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, SAE, ASME, and ASEE, 26th Joint Propulsion Conference
- Pub Date:
- July 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990jpof.confR....M
- Keywords:
-
- Booster Rocket Engines;
- Pegasus Air-Launched Booster;
- Solid Propellant Rocket Engines;
- Structural Analysis;
- Composite Materials;
- Computerized Simulation;
- Delta Wings;
- Earth Orbits;
- Finite Element Method;
- Flight Simulation;
- Payload Delivery (Sts);
- Rocket Engine Cases;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles