Space Shuttle flutter as affected by wing-body aerodynamic interactionIn the NASA Langley Research Center 26-inch transonic blowdown wind-tunnel, flutter speeds were measured on 1/80-th scale semispan models of the orbiter wing, the complete Space Shuttle, and intermediate component combinations. Using the doublet lattice method combined with slender body theory to calculate unsteady aerodynamic forces, subsonic flutter speeds were computed for comparison. Aerodynamic interaction was found by test and analysis to raise the flutter speed in some configurations while lowering it in others. Although at Mach number less than 0.7, predicted speeds correlated to within 6% of those measured, rapid deterioration of the agreement occurred at higher subsonic Mach numbers, especially on the more complicated configurations. Additional analysis showed that aerodynamic forces arising from body flexibility potentially can have a large effect on flutter speed, but that the current shuttle design is not so affected.
Document ID
19740043922
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Chipman, R. R.
Rauch, F. J.
Shyprykevich, P. (Grumman Aerospace Corp. Bethpage, N.Y., United States)
Hess, R. W. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, Va., United States)
Date Acquired
August 7, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1974
Subject Category
Space Vehicles
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 74-363
Meeting Information
Meeting: Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference