In 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.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Space Shuttle flutter as affected by wing-body aerodynamic interaction


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference ; 1974 ; Las Vegas, NV, US


    Publication date :

    1974-04-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :