40th Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference and Exhibit · 1999 · 23 citations · 0 references
EngineeringAerospace EngineeringMechanical EngineeringAerodynamicsAeroelasticityStructural DynamicsAeroelastic ModelingAeroelastic StabilityAircraft StabilityDynamic AeroelasticitySupersonic AerodynamicsVibration AnalysisAeroelastic AnalysisAeroelastic Instability AnalysisAeroelastic Stability AnalysisFlutterMach NumberMach Number Effects On AeroelasticitySupersonic FlutterSupersonic Stability
This paper presents the results from the aeroelastic analysis of the X-34 launch vehicle. The X-34 operates over a wide range of dynamic pressures and Mach numbers. Each speed regime was examined to see if the vehicle was free from flutter and divergence. The aeroservoelastic effects of the control systems on the stability of the system were also considered. The speed brake was found to be unstable at low supersonic speeds. The flutter mechanism was a single-degree-offreedom instability due to the rotation of the speed brake panels about the hinge line. Increasing the frequency of the speed brake mode was shown to have a favorable effect on the instability. Coupling of this mode with other modes was also shown to decrease the level of the instability.