05-14-2009, 05:46 AM
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Master Modeler
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by FlyBack
One critical aspect of this design is locating the 3D center of gravity. Mockups help me do that. With an asymmetrical configuration like this one, simply pointing the motor thrust lines through the C.G. isn't enough. You have to use some math. The vector equations for static equilibrium are written around a known C.G. Summation of forces on the Z axis and summation of moments about the C.G. must equal zero. That requires some trig.
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A most challenging but equally rewarding project! In either or both (or neither?) of your models, is/was the orbiter's motor ignited in flight so that it flies/flew free as a true second stage, or are/were the booster's motor and the orbiter's motor ignited simultaneously at launch as a cluster? |