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Results for “Stability and Control”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Exploratory wind tunnel investigation of the stability and control characteristics of a three-surface, forward-swept wing advanced turboprop model

The purpose of the present investigation was to parametrically study the stability and control characteristics of a forward-swept wing three-surface turboprop model through an extended angle of attack range, including the deep-stall region. As part of a joint research program between North Carolina State University and NASA Langley Research Center, a low-speed wind tunnel investigation was conducted with a three-surface, forward-swept wing, aft-mounted, twin-pusher propeller, model, representative of an advanced turboprop configuration. The tests were conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. The model parameters varied in the test were horizontal tail location, canard size, sweep and location, and wing position. The model was equipped with air turbines, housed within the nacelles and driven by compressed air, to model turboprop power effects. A three-surface, forward-swept wing configuration that provided satisfactory static longitudinal and lateral/directional stability was identified. The three-surface configuration was found to have greater longitudinal control and increased center of gravity range relative to a conventional (two-surface) design. The test showed that power had a large favorable effect on stability and control about all three axis in the post-stall regime.

Coe, Paul L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Some stability and control aspects of airframe/propulsion system interactions on the YF-12 airplane

Airframe/propulsion system interactions can strongly affect the stability and control of supersonic cruise aircraft. These interactions generate forces and moments similar in magnitude to those produced by the aerodynamic controls, and can cause significant changes in vehicle damping and static stability. This in turn can lead to large aircraft excursions or high pilot workload, or both. For optimum integration of an airframe and its jet propulsion system, these phenomena may have to be taken into account.

Berry, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A wind-tunnel evaluation of analytical techniques for predicting static stability and control characteristics of flexible aircraft

An experimental evaluation of analytical techniques for predicting certain stability and control characteristics of a large flexible aircraft is presented. Analytical methods based on both the model approach and flexibility influence coefficients are developed to predict the aerodynamic characteristics of a flexible airplane. These methods are then applied to a flexibly scaled model of a supersonic transport configuration. Comparisons of wind-tunnel data, calculations based on the model approach, and flexibility influence coefficients are presented over the Mach number range from 0.6 to 2.7. An examination of the results obtained from this study indicates that both analytical techniques predict reasonably well the effect of flexibility on the basic longitudinal characteristics and that both techniques give generally comparable results.

Abel, I.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Stability and control characteristics of a monoplane missile with large delta wings and various tail controls at Mach 1.90 to 2.86

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to determine the stability and control characteristics of a monoplane missile with large delta wings and various tail configurations. The tests were conducted at angles of attack of approximately 24 degrees and angles of sideslip of about 22 degrees. Tail control configurations were the cruciform, conventional airplane type, and an inverted airplane configuration. Control effectiveness was measured for pitch, yaw, and roll.

Jernell, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Summary of longitudinal stability and control parameters as determined from Space Shuttle Challenger flight test data

Estimates of longitudinal stability and control parameters for the space shuttle were determined by applying a maximum likelihood parameter estimation technique to Challenger flight test data. The parameters for pitching moment coefficient, C(m sub alpha), (at different angles of attack), pitching moment coefficient, C(m sub delta e), (at different elevator deflections) and the normal force coefficient, C(z sub alpha), (at different angles of attack) describe 90 percent of the response to longitudinal inputs during Space Shuttle Challenger flights with C(m sub delta e) being the dominant parameter. The values of C(z sub alpha) were found to be input dependent for these tests. However, when C(z sub alpha) was set at preflight predictions, the values determined for C(m sub delta e) changed less than 10 percent from the values obtained when C(z sub alpha) was estimated as well. The preflight predictions for C(z sub alpha) and C(m sub alpha) are acceptable values, while the values of C(z sub delta e) should be about 30 percent less negative than the preflight predictions near Mach 1, and 10 percent less negative, otherwise.

Suit, William T.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics at Mach Numbers from 0.70 to 2.22 of a Triangular Wing Configuration Equipped with a Canard Control, a Trailing-Edge-Flap Control or a Cambered Forebody

Results of an investigation to determine the static longitudinal stability and control characteristics of an aspect-ratio-2 triangular wing and body configuration equipped with either a canard control, a trailing-edge-flap control, or a cambered forebody are presented without analysis for Mach numbers from 0.70 to 2.22. The canard surface had a triangular plan form and a ratio of exposed area to total wing area of 7.8 percent. The hinge line of the canard was in the extended wing chord plane, 0.83 wing mean aerodynamic chord ahead of the reference center of moments. The trailing-edge controls were constant-chord full-span flaps with exposed area equal to 10.7 percent of the total wing area. The cambered body was a modified Sears-Haack body with camber only ahead of the wing apex. Data are presented for various canard and flap deflections at angles of attack ranging from -6 deg to +18 deg.

Boyd, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Application of Forebody Strakes for Directional Stability and Control of Transport Aircraft

A brief overview of a cooperative NASA/Boeing research effort, Strake Technology Research Application to Transport Aircraft (STRATA), intended to explore the potential of applying forebody strake technology to transport aircraft configurations for directional stability and control at low angles of attack, is presented. As an initial step in the STRATA program, an exploratory wind-tunnel investigation of the effect of fixed forebody strakes on the directional stability and control characteristics of a generic transport configuration was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. Results of parametric variations in strake chord and span, as well as the effect of strake incidence, are presented. The use of strakes for yaw control is also discussed. Results emphasize the importance of forebody/fuselage crossflow in influencing strake effectiveness. Strake effectiveness is also seen to be directly related to its span, but less sensitive to chord; a very short-chord strake with sufficient span can have a significant effect.

Shah, Gautam H.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extreme Dimensional Stability Thermal Control Test

Two observatories under consideration in the 2020 decadal survey include coronagraphs for characterizing the atmospheric composition of exoplanets. The telescope in those observatories must provide a wavefront that is stable to the picometer level for the coronagraph to provide enough starlight rejection to capture light reflected off of an Earth-like exoplanet. Therefore, picometer dimensional stability and control are required for these missions. Analysis indicates the thermal environment around the primary mirror must be stable to milliKelvin for the primary mirror’s thermally induced wavefront error to be stable to picometers. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) partnered with L3-Harris Corporation to design and build a 1.5mthermal control system capable of milliKelvin stability. MSFC tested this thermal control system in the X-Ray and Cryogenic Facility’s large chamber to characterize how well the system controlled a 1.5m ULE® mirror.

optomechanical↗
NASA NTRS1981

Longitudinal stability and control derivatives obtained from flight data of a PA-30 aircraft

In order to obtain reliable and accurate values of the stability and control derivatives, the Dryden Fligh Research Center (DFRC) developed a technique for extracting the derivatives from flight data. This technique is implemented by a set of FORTRAN computer programs that is based on a modified maximum likelihood estimator that uses the Newton-Raphson algorithm to perform the required minimization of the derivatives. Data was obtained with a PA-30, light twin-engine general aviation aircraft in zero, half, and full flap configuration in level unaccelerated flight with the landing gear retracted. The derivatives were plotted as functions of angle of attack using various graphical arrangements to show variations of wind tunnel and flight determined values at zero flap settings. Also, data was displayed to show the effects of flap deflection and thrust variation on the longitudinal stability derivatives. The angle of attack and angle of sideslip were measured. The dynamic pressure, velocity, and altitude were calculated, using a FORTRAN computer program, from the static and dynamic pressures. The control deflections of the stabilator, ailerons, and rudder also were recorded along with left throttle position, engine rpm, and manifold pressure.

Turley, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Fuzzy Current-Mode Control and Stability Analysis

In this paper a current-mode control (CMC) methodology is developed for a buck converter by using a fuzzy logic controller. Conventional CMC methodologies are based on lead-lag compensation with voltage and inductor current feedback. In this paper the converter lead-lag compensation will be substituted with a fuzzy controller. A small-signal model of the fuzzy controller will also be developed in order to examine the stability properties of this buck converter control system. The paper develops an analytical approach, introducing fuzzy control into the area of CMC.

Kopasakis, George↗
NASA NTRS1947

Investigation of the Stability and Control Characteristics of a 1/20-Scale Model of the Consolidated Vultee XB-53 Airplane with a Full-Span Leading-Edge Slat in the Langley Free-Flight Tunnel

An investigation of the low-speed; power-off stability and control characteristics of a 1/20-scale model of the Consolidated Vultee XB-53 airplane equipped with full-span leading-edge slats has been conducted in the Langley free-flight tunnel. In this investigation it was found that the-full-span leading-edge slat gave about the same maximum lift coefficient as was obtained with the outboard single slotted flap and inboard slat. The stability and control characteristics were greatly improved except near the stall where the characteristics with the full-span slat were considered unsatisfactory because of a loss of directional stability and a slight nosing-up tendency.

Bennett, Charles V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Shuttle entry performance and stability and control derivatives extraction from flight measurement data

Flight data taken from three Shuttle Space Transportation System flights (STS-1, 2, and 3) during entry are analyzed to determine the shuttle performance and aerodynamic characteristics. Correlations of the performance coefficients and the stability and control derivatives with preflight predictions are presented over the hypersonic speed range from Mach 2 to 25. In addition, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the onboard Reaction Control System (RCS) is given and an effort is made to independently quantify the combined impingement and flow-field interaction effects on the spacecraft rolling moment. Comparisons of stability and control derivatives extracted for the same flight conditions, but using data from different onboard sensors are also made. Results obtained using the same flight data, but different computer software are also shown.

Compton, H. R.↗