Investigation of mach number effects on the aerodynamic loading of an articulating nose cone missile

Abstract

A combined experimental and numerical study was completed to determine the effect of Mach number on the aerodynamic loading produced by articulating a nose cone. The articulation was modeled as bending of the centerline of the nose cone on supersonic, Mach 4.3, and subsonic, Mach 0.5, missiles. The results were compared to previous experiments using a Mach 2.0 missile. A 2.7 fineness ratio, tangent ogive nose cone was deflected downward 20° with straight and parabolic centerline geometries. Force and moment data were collected in the wind tunnel for angles of attack from-15° to 15° and compared to Missile DATCOM and a RANS numerical models. The parabolic bend was less effective than the straight bend for producing forces and pitching moments. The parabolic bend also caused significant lateral forces. Both bend techniques were more effective with the control surfaces in an x versus a + configuration, apparently due to the control surface interaction with the vortices generated at the nose cone. Missile DATCOM did not predict the nonlinear effects of large cone deflection well. More control force was created at Mach 2.0 than at other two Mach numbers