An optimal solution of the ascent trajectory of the Space Shuttle for the first orbital flight test is presented; the optimization is a minimum propellant, four-control problem in yaw angle, roll angle, pitch angle and vacuum thrust of each Space Shuttle main engine. Piecewise linear segments with juncture points treated as parameters are employed to model the controls. Equations of motion for a three-dimensional flight with pitch plane moment balance about an oblate are integrated numerically with a fourth-order Runge-Kutta method; two- and one-dimensional cubic spline function curve fits of aerodynamic coefficients are used during the first and second stages, respectively. The constraint minimization problem is solved with the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell function method.


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    Title :

    An optimal Space Shuttle ascent trajectory for the first orbital flight test


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Astrodynamics Conference


    Publication date :

    1977-09-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


    Space Shuttle Atmospheric ascent flight dynamics

    Patha, J. T. / Noess, K. A. / Lines, M. V. | NTRS | 1972


    Space Shuttle orbital flight test

    Slayton, D. K. | NTRS | 1979




    Space Shuttle First Stage Ascent Design

    Bowers, David C. | SAE Technical Papers | 1989