Publications Details
Tethered rocket as a vehicle for penetration and impact testing: Development report
A new technique, called tethered rocket, has been developed for testing in the penetration and/or impact modes. The technique involves tethering a rocket-motor assembly to an earth-fixed pivot so that the resulting semicircular arc delivers a payload to a precise impact point. Discussions are presented which describe the analytical and experimental activities of the tethered rocket technique. A series of analytical models has been integral to the success of the tethered rocket development. The analytic results were verified by testing. The tests demonstrated the viability of the technique for penetration and/or impact testing. Also included is a discussion of potential applications of the method. 18 refs., 53 figs., 17 tabs.