Magnus attenuation on a generic missile configuration using N-vanes

Abstract

The influence of N-vanes on the Magnus moment and dynamic stability of a high-fineness-ratio, spinning, generic missile shape is presented in this paper. Free-flight aeroballistic tests to obtain these data were conducted at atmospheric pressure and over a Mach number range of 1.45-1.76. The aerodynamic coefficients and derivatives presented were extracted from the position/attitude/time histories of the experimentally measured trajectories using nonlinear numerical integration data-reduction routines. Results of this analysis indicate that a dynamic instability due to Magnus exists with the smooth-body configuration but that by using N-vanes, the dynamic stability can be drastically altered. The N-vanes clearly affected the nature of Magnus and, with one configuration, sufficiently weakened the Magnus moment to provide dynamic stability.