[NRV Rocketry] LADEE Question (for VT Aerospace guys?)

Thomas Weeks tweeksjunk2 at theweeks.org
Sat Sep 7 23:27:03 CDT 2013


Hey Dr. S, or other VT Aerospace Guys..

So I've been watching LADEE footage from the launch last night and was just 
wondering.. how do they stabilize large rockets like LADEE that obviously have 
zero visible fins?  Ballistically (if it flew passively) it should go end over 
end.. no?

Are there ANY control surfaces on the LADEE boosters?  I imagine they would 
have to either use some sort of active vectored thrust, control surfaces, or 
spin stabilization to keep it pointed up... no?

And what about controlling the % thrust? They're using solid propulsion motors 
(sort of like our HP ACP motors)... which are usually either 100% on or burned 
out/off right? Do they have some sort of burn-rate or oxidizer flow rate 
controls in their motors too? 

Hmm.. 

Tweeks
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