Sounding Systems

CONT RACTOR SOUNDING SYSTEMS AND DATA REVIEW _ _ Bruce Botlermann C. - MAY1970 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. NASA CR-1529 (Part 2) 4. Title and Subtitle VOLUME I: A STUDY OF 30 KM TO 200 KM 5. Report Date May 1970 METEOROLOGICAL ROCKET SOUNDING SYSTEMS 6. Performing Organization Code Part IL Literature and Data Review 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Bruce Bollermann 10. Work Unit No. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Space Data Corporation 11. Contract or Grant No. Phoenix, Arizona NAS8-20797 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address CONTRACTOR REPORT NASA-George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Contract Monitor: Robert E. Turner 15. Supplementary Notes Distribution of this report is provided in the interest of information exchange. Responsibility for the contents resides in the author or organization that prepared it. 16. Abstract This report reviews the contemporary literature on meteorological rockets and associated systems, to determine the accuracies and limitations of the current meteorological rocket systems from available data, and to determine the adaptability of the more complex geophysical rocket experiments to simplified, economical, routine meteorological rocket soundings. This literature review covers the various system requirements and techniques used in obtaining meteorological measurements of the 30 km to 200 km region of the atmo- sphere. In addition to the detailed descriptions of the various rocket vehicles, telemetry, sensors, decelerators and other related equipment, this review also includes a study of the gun probe systems. The study is presented in two books: Book 1 contains an introduction, a discussion of systems requirements and a description of the various sensing techniques; Book 2 contains details of the rocketsonde decelerator techniques, telemetry and tracking equipment, descriptions of the rocket vehicles, gun probe systems and a summary of the report. The two books are printed under separate cover, and are labeled Volume L 17. Key Words (Suggested by Author(s)) 18. Distribution Statement Unclassified - Unlimited 22, Price* 19. Security Classif. (of this report_ 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages Unclassified Unclassified 435 $3.00 *For sale by the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information Springfield, Virginia 22151 FOREWORD Most of the material in this report has been taken directly from the current literature; thus, to avoid frequent interruptions in the text, references have been omitted. Instead, acknowledgements are made preceding Book I for the primary investigators and authors whose works have been abstracted and whose data are presented. A bibliography of the digested literature follows the conclusion of Book 2. This survey was made under Contract NAS8-20797 with the Aerospace Environment Division, Aero-Astrodynamics Laboratory, Marshall Space Flight Center. Mr. Robert E. Turner was the Contract Monitor. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Special recognition is expressed to the Meteorological Working Group of the Inter-Range Instrumentation Group, Range Commander's Conference, whose efforts brought about the formation of the Meteor- ological Rocket Network, and consequently the widespread distribution of its valuable data to the scientific community. The Network has grown worldwide, and has directly influenced developments in rocket meteorology. Appreciation is expressed to Mr. Robert E. Turner and Mr. O. E. Smith of the Aerospace Environment Division, Aero-Astrodynamics Laboratory, NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center for their support and guidance in presenting this study, and to Mr. Edgar Schaefer for the many illustrations and Mr. David Gironda and staff of the Space Data Corporation for editorial assistance. ooo III TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME I BOOK 2 Chapter Page FOREWORD • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • • • • • • • ill"'" 4 ROCKETSONDE DECELERATORS 4.1 GENERAL ................ I 4.1.1 Ballistic Coefficient ........... I 4.1.2 Deployment Reliability .......... 7 4.1.3 Stability ................. 7 4.1.4 Radar Cross-Section ........... 10 4.1.5 Constant Descent Rate .......... 11 4.1.6 Cost ........ .......... 11 4.2 CONVENTIONAL PARACHUTES 4.2.1 General ................. 12 4.2.2 Design Parameters ............ 12 4.2.3 Arcas 15' Gentex Parachute ....... 23 4.2.4 Loki Dart 7.6' Parachute ........ 44 4.2.5 NOL 6 t Square Parachute ........ 44 4.2.6 NOL Wind Sensor Parachute . ..... 53 4.3 PARACHUTES WITH GEOMETRY POROSITY 4.3.1 G enera I .................. 55 4.3.2 Disk-Gap-Band Parachute ........ 55 4.3.3 Cross Patch Parachute .......... 62 4.3.4 Annular Ring Parachute ......... 62 4.3.5 Miscellaneous Geometric Porosity Designs. 66 4.4 STROKES FLOW RIBBON MESH PARACHUTE 4.4.1 General .................. 72 4.4.2 Theoretical ................ 73 4.4.3 Proposed Parachute Design ........ 74 4.4.4 Proposed Performance .......... 78 4.4.5 Test Data ................. 78 4.4.6 Summary ................. 83 -V- Chapter Page 4.5 RAM-AIR DECELERATORS 4.5.1 OeneraJ ........ • ........ 88 4.5.2 Ballute Principle ............ 88 4,5,3 Arcasonde Ballute ............ 89 4.5.4 Datasonde Starute ........... 94 4.5.5 High Speed Ballutes ........... 94 4.5.6 Biconical Decelerator .......... 98 4.6 SUMMARY 100 TELEMETRY AND TRACKING 5.1 GENERAL ................ 101 5.2 RADAR 5.2.1 General ................. 103 5.2.2 Radar Descriptions ........... 104 5.2.2.1 Radar Set AN/SPS-12 .......... 104 5.2.2.2 Radar Set AN/MPS-19 ......... 104 5.2.2.3 Mod II Radar ............... 108 5.2.2.4 Radar Set AN/FPS-16 ...... 108 5.2.2.5 Radar Set AN/FPQ-I I ......... 112 5.2.2.6 Radar Set AN/MPS-504 ......... 112 5.2.2.7 NASA Long-Range S-Band (Spandar) . 121 5.2.2.8 Radar Set AN/FPQ-6 .......... 121 5.2.2.9 Velocimeter, Model 10A, Doppler Radar. 125 5.2.3 Radar Application to Rocketsonde System . 129 5.3 TELEMETRY 5.3.1 General ................. 139 5.3.2 IRIG Telemetr 7 Systems ......... 140 5.3.3 DOVAP Telemetry Tracking System . 153 5.3.4 AN/GMD Telemetry and Tracking System . 159 5.3.4.1 General .................. 159 5.3.4.2 Ground Station Equipment ........ 160 5.3.4.2.1 Rawin Set AN/GMD-1 ......... 160 5.3.4.2.2 Rawin Set AN/GMD-2 ......... 165 5.3.4.2.3 Rawin Set AN/GMD--4 ......... 169 5.3.4.2.4 NASA Radiosonde ADP System ..... 169 - v| - Chapter Page 5.3.4.3 RocketsondeInstrumentation ....... 176 5.3.4.3.1 Stratospheric Terhperature Sonde (STS-1) . 176 5.3.4.3.2 Arcasonde- 1A .............. 180 5.3.4.3.3 A N/DMQ -9 ............... 180 5.3.4.3.4 Datasonde ................ 192 5.3.4.4 Miscei ianeous Instruments ........ 192 5.3.5 AN/SMQ-1 Telemetry Systems ...... 199 5.3.5.1 General .................. 199 5.3.5.2 Ground Station Equipment ........ 199 5.3.5.3 Rocketsonde Instrumentation ....... 202 5.3.6 Advanced Concept -Motorola Study . 209 5.3.6.1 General ................. 209 5.3.6.2 Ground Equipmen t ............ 218 5.3.6.3 Radiosonde ................ 223 6 ROCKET VEHICLES 6.1 G EN ERAL ................ 228 6.2 HISTORICAL REVIEW .......... 233 6.3 CURRENT VEHICLE SYSTEMS ...... 243 6.3.1 General ................. 243 6.3.2 Arcas .................. 248 6.3.3 Loki Dart ................ 259 6.3.4 Skua .................. 281 6.3.5 MT-135 ................. 282 6.3.6 Super Loki Chaff Dart .......... 282 6.3.7 Viper Dart ................ 298 6.3.8 Cajun Dart ................ 303 6.3.9 Boosted Arcas ............... 311 6.3.10 Nike Vehicles .............. 321 6.4 DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS ........ 323 6.4.1 General ................. 323 6.4.2 Improved Viper Dart ........... 323 6.4.3 Super Loki Instrumented Dart ...... 323 6.4.4 Destructable Arcas ........... 324 6.4.5 Consumable Rocket ............ 333 6.4.6 Army RDT&E Rocket ........... 336 - vii - Chapter Pag e 6.4.7 Kangaroo ................. 337 6.4.8 Destructible Dart ............. 339 6.5 DISCUSSION .............. 346 6.5.1 General ................. 346 6.5.2 Vehicle Performance ........... 346 6.5.3 Vehicle Impact Dispersion ........ 348 6.5.4 Vehicle Wind-Sensitivity ......... 348 7 GUN PROBES 7.1 GENERAL ................ 351 7.2 5-I NCH PROJECTILES .......... 354 7.3 7-I NCH PROJECTILES .......... 358 7.4 16-I NCH PROJECTILES .......... 360 7.5 GUN-BOOSTED ROCKETS ........ 362 7.6 METEOROLOGICAL ROCKET vs GUN PROBE COMPARISON ......... 365 8 SUMMARY 369 APPENDIX A Corrections for Meteorological Rocket Temperature Soundings on an Individual Basis 379 BI BLIOGRAPHY 381 ooo -- Vlll -- LIST OF FIGURES BOOK 2 Figure Page 4.1 ROCKETSONDE DECELERATORS - GENERAL 4.1-I Velocity-Altitude Profile-Various Ballistic Coefficients .................... 3 4. I-2 Drop from 245,000 Ft to 200,000 Ft. W/CD A-0.020 ...................... 4 4. 1-3 Altitude vs Decent Rate .............. 5 4.1-4 Descent Curves from Various Release Altitude . 6 4. I-5 Dynamic Pressure at Apogee ............ 8 4.1-6 Critical Velocity for Parachute Self-inflation . 9 4.2 CONVENTIONAL PARACHUTES 4.2-I Hemispherical Parachute Gliding Mode ....... 18 4.2-2 Arcas Gentex Parachute, 15' Diameter ....... 24 4.2-3 Cross-Sectional Diagram of the Arcas Parachute Assembly ...................... 26 4.2-4 Principle of Separation of the Arcas Payload Assembly ...................... 26 Arcas Parachute and Payload after Expulsion . 27 Arcas Parachute (Gentex Company) Descent Rate Average for Standard Payload Weight ....... 29 4.2-7 Arcas Parachute Fall Rates ............. 30 4.2-8 Arcas Parachute Descent Curve ........... 31 4.2-9 FPS-16 Radar Tracks of Arcas Flights at Pacific Missile Range ..................... 34 4.2-10 Initial Wind Response Altitude vs Apogee Altitude. 35 4.2-I I Arcas Parachute Fall Rate Data-WSMR Flights//1 . 36 4.2-12 Arcas Parachute Fall Rate Data-WSMR Flight//2 . 37 4.2-13 Areas Parachute Fall Rate Data-WSMR Flight//3 . 38 4.2-14 Arcas Parachute Fall Rate Data-WSMR Flight//4.

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