[AR] Re: Turning after launch
- From: Ed LeBouthillier <codemonky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:56:34 -0400 (EDT)
The turn I mean happens almost IMMEDIATELY after clearing the launch tube.
This rather RECENT trick seems to involve a swiveling exhaust, uncommon
for solid propellants I was thinking.
The missile is just going down range and not wasting propellant for altitude.
Most of those "recent systems" are vertical launch systems. In the old days, we
used to use "box launchers" for cruise and other missiles that were fixed at a
45 degree angle. We used alt/azimuth launchers which could change their bearing
and elevation to point toward the target.
I worked on Standard and Harpoon Missile systems and most of the time it just
looked as if the missile was taking off at a 45 degree angle anyway. With
vertical launch systems, the rocket is immediately turning to go on a
trajectory towards the target. If you think of it, a target might be downrange
many miles (30-40 miles for example) but even if it's at altitude, the target
might only be 30K-40K ft. This means that the angle to point toward the target
is atan(40000/(40*5280)) = 10-ish degrees. So, most of the time, the target is
farther downrange than gaining altitude.
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