Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Attitude control
Patent
1996-09-25
1999-02-23
Mojica, V. Lissi
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Attitude control
244138A, 244139, 244 63, 244 328, 102384, 102388, F42B 1014, F42B 1050, F42B 1501, B64G 162
Patent
active
058735496
ABSTRACT:
A nose assembly and method for controlling the rotation and stabilizing the orientation of a vehicle during landing maneuvers. The vehicle includes a nose assembly that is coupled to an airframe thereof and that has a frame and flap assembly. The flap assembly includes an actuating means and a flap coupled to the frame such that the actuating means moves the flap from and between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position in response to a guidance signal received from a flight control computer. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flap assembly includes a plurality of flaps each coupled to the nose assembly frame and an actuating means that selectively positions the plurality of flaps in response to a signal. The method for rotating a vehicle from a nose-forward orientation to a base-forward orientation includes the steps of orientating the vehicle in nose-forward flight, rotating the vehicle in a first direction, and selectively actuating one of a first and second flap from a retracted position toward an extended position to generate a damping moment tending to position the vehicle in a base-forward orientation.
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French James R.
Lane Jeffery G.
McDonnell Douglas Corporation
Mojica V. Lissi
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