Annotation: A promising experimental bench – a shock wind tunnel was put into operation at Yuzhnoye SDO. The shock wind tunnel is designed to simulate the incident flow during rocket flight at high supersonic and hypersonic velocities. To solve actual design problems facing Yuzhnoye SDO, it was necessary to expand the range of velocities under investigation in a shock wind tunnel by low supersonic Mach numbers (Mа=1.5; 2; 3). As a result of this work, a modernized configuration of the shock wind tunnel was developed, which allows simulating flow parameters at low supersonic velocities. The results of aerodynamic experiment performed in the modernized shock wind tunnel, which are close to full scale ones, can be obtained using as much data on peculiarities of supersonic flow formation in it as possible. Therefore, the study of the distribution of Mach numbers profiles in the working section of the modernized shock wind tunnel at low and high supersonic velocity was chosen as the main line of research. The results of the research presented in the article are based on the use of numerical simulation methods, as well as data obtained experimentally. As a result of gasdynamic simulation of a supersonic flow conducted for the nozzle Mа=4 and the nozzle Mа=2, the calculated and experimental data on the distribution pattern and field values of Mach numbers in the working section of the tunnel were obtained. A comparative analysis was carried out. The boundaries of the region of equal velocities, within which the condition of quasistatic supersonic flow is satisfied, and the lifetime of the operating mode for the selected nozzle type were determined. At the flow from the nozzle Mа=2, a peculiarity was revealed in the distribution pattern of Mach numbers fields associated with the appearance of “blocking” effect of the supersonic flow. The methods for eliminating the effect of flow “blocking” at low supersonic velocities are proposed.

Annotation: The study of thermal strength of the hold-down bay is considered. The hold-down bay is a cylindrical shell with the load-bearing elements as the standing supports. The case of the hold-down bay consists of the following structural elements: four standing supports and the compound cylindrical shell with two frames along the top and bottom joints. The purpose of this study was the development of a general approach for the thermal strength calculation of the hold-down bay. This approach includes two parts. Firstly, the unsteady heat fields on the hold-down bay surface are calculated by means of the semi-empirical method, which is based on the simulated results of the combustion product flow of the main propulsion system. The calculation is provided by using Solid Works software. Then the unsteady stress-strain behavior of the hold-down bay is calculated, taking into consideration the plastoelastic deformations. The material strain bilinear diagram is used. The finiteelement method is applied to the stress-strain behavior calculation by using NASTRAN software. The thermal field is assumed to be constant throughout the shell thickness. As a result of the numerical simulation the following conclusions are made. The entire part of the hold-down bay, which is blown by rocket exhaust jet, is under stress-strain behavior. The stresses of the top frame and the shell are overridden the breaking strength that caused structural failure. The structure of the hold-down bay, which is considered in the paper, is unappropriated to be reusable. The hold-down bay should be reconstructed by reinforcement in order to provide its reusability.

Annotation: Due to an increase of power of rocket engines, the high intensity sound field generated by the exhaust jets have become an important factor, which determines the success rate of a rocket launch. Ensuring a successful launch of a rocket system became harder due to new engineering problems. Identification and definition of acoustic sources structure within a complex supersonic jet, being a one of the most important scientific problems, which have to be solved to find the ways to control accoustic radiation. A three components of acoustic sources can be defined here – broadband signals from large and small components of of turbulent jet and tonal signals which usually being overlooked during the estimation of overall sound pressure level. The paper considers various aspects of acoustics of the launch of rocket systems, which includes characteristics of acoustic sources in supersonic jets, possibilities and physical limitation factors, under which it is possible to control the sound radiation. Among the possible ways to control the process of sound generation by a jet, a method of water injection in a jet is being studied. While saving the general thrust of the engine this method can not greatly reduce the sound radiation by a jet. It is recommended to use big amounts of water-air mix to protect the launch pad from damage. Significant progress on the topic of understanding the process of sound generation by supersonic jets can be achieved via mathematical modeling of sound radiation. The latest achievements of mathematical modeling of sound generation by supersonic jets being presented.

Annotation: Launch vehicle lift-off is one of the most critical phases of the whole mission requiring special technical solutions to ensure trouble-free and reliable launch. A source of increased risk is the intense thermal and pressure impact of rocket propulsion jet on launch complex elements and on rocket itself. The most accurate parameters of this impact can be obtained during bench tests, which are necessary to confirm the operability of the structure, as well as to clarify the parameters and configuration of the equipment and systems of complex. However, full-scale testing is expensive and significantly increases the development time of the complex. Therefore, a numerical simulation of processes is quite helpful in the design of launch complexes. The presented work contains simulation of liquid rocket engine combustion products jet flowing into the gas duct at the rocket lift-off, taking into account the following input data: the parameters of propulsion system, geometric parameters of launch complex elements, propulsion systems nozzles and gas duct. A three-dimensional geometric model of the launch complex, including rocket and gasduct, was constructed. The thermodynamic parameters of gas in the engine nozzle were verified using NASA CEA code and ANSYS Fluent. When simulating a multicomponent jet, the equations of conservation of mass, energy, and motion were solved taking into account chemical kinetics. The three-dimensional problem was solved in ANSYS Fluent in steady-state approach, using Pressure-based solver and RANS k-omega SST turbulence model. The calculation results are the gas-dynamic and thermodynamic parameters of jets, as well as distribution of gas-dynamic parameters at nozzle exit, in flow and in boundary layer at gas duct surface. The methodology applied in this work makes it possible to qualitatively evaluate the gas-dynamic effect of combustion products jets on gas duct for subsequent optimization of its design.

Annotation: The strength of real solids depends essentially on the defect of the structure. In real materials, there is always a large number of various micro defects, the development of which under the influence of loading leads to the appearance of cracks and their growth in the form of local or complete destruction. In this paper, based on the method of singular integral equations, we present a unified approach to the solution of thermal elasticity problems for bodies weakened by inhomogeneities. The purpose of the work is to take into account the heterogeneities in the materials of the elements of the rocket structures on their functionally-gradient properties, including strength. The choice of the method of investigation of strength and destruction of structural elements depends on the size of the object under study. Micro-research is related to the heterogeneities that are formed in the surface layer at the stage of preparation, the technology of manufacturing structural elements. Defectiveness allows you to adequately consider the mechanism of destruction of objects as a process of development of cracks. In studying the limit state of real elements, weakened by defects and constructing on this basis the theory of their strength and destruction in addition to the deterministic one must consider the probabilistic – statistical approach. In the case of thermal action on structural elements in which there are uniformly scattered, non-interacting randomly distributed defects of the type of cracks, the laws of joint distribution of the length and angle of orientation of which are known, the limiting value of the heat flux for the balanced state of the crack having the length of the “weakest link” is determined. The influence of heterogeneities of technological origin (from the workpiece to the finished product) that occur in the surface layer in the technology of manufacturing structural elements on its destruction is taken into account by the developed model. The strength of real solids depends essentially on the defect of the structure. In real materials, there are always many various micro defects, the development of which under the influence of loading leads to the appearance of cracks and their growth in the form of local or complete destruction. In this paper, based on the method of singular integral equations, we present a unified approach to the solution of thermal elasticity problems for bodies weakened by inhomogeneities. The purpose of the work is to take into account the heterogeneities in the materials of the elements of the rocket structures on their functionally gradient properties, including strength. The choice of the method of investigation of strength and destruction of structural elements depends on the size of the object under study. Micro-research is related to the heterogeneities that are formed in the surface layer at the stage of preparation, the technology of manufacturing structural elements. Defectiveness allows you to adequately consider the mechanism of destruction of objects as a process of development of cracks. In studying the limit state of real elements, weakened by defects and constructing on this basis the theory of their strength and destruction besides the deterministic one must consider the probabilistic – statistical approach. With thermal action on structural elements in which there are uniformly scattered, non-interacting randomly distributed defects of the cracks, the laws of joint distribution of the length and angle of orientation of which are known, the limiting value of the heat flux for the balanced state of the crack having the length of the “weakest link” is determined. The influence of heterogeneities of technological origin (from the workpiece to the finished product) that occur in the surface layer in the technology of manufacturing structural elements on its destruction is taken into account by the developed model. The solution of the singular integral equation with the Cauchy kernel allows one to determine the intensity of stresses around the vertexes of defects of the cracks, and by comparing it with the criterion of fracture toughness for the material of a structural element, one can determine its state. If this criterion is violated, the weak link defect develops into a trunk crack. Also, a criterion correlation of the condition of the equilibrium defect condition with a length of 2l was got, depending on the magnitude of the contact temperature. When the weld is cooled, it develops “hot cracks” that lead to a lack of welding elements of the structures. The results of the simulation using singular integral equations open the possibility to evaluate the influence of thirdparty fillers on the loss of functional properties of inhomogeneous systems. The exact determination of the order and nature of the singularity near the vertices of the acute-angled imperfection in the inhomogeneous medium, presented in the analytical form, is necessary to plan and record the corresponding criterion relations to determine the functional properties of inhomogeneous systems.

Annotation: For monitoring rocket flight and determining accuracy of spacecraft injection into the planned orbit, it is necessary to ensure the reception of telemetry data from the launch vehicle. Telemetry data receiving stations may be located either on land or on shipboard. When the antenna system of such station is placed on shipboard, ship roll and ship drift have the most considerable impact on the antenna guidance accuracy. To ensure the guidance accuracy of the telemetry receiving antenna set, placed on shipboard, the control algorithm was designed. It was offered to use triaxial rotary support with axis of reflector inclination angle to meet the requirements specified. In the article, the connection between kinematic parameters of the antenna rotary support drives and parameters of the space launch vehicle motion were identified, rotation angles of the antenna drives along the three axes were determined, and the law of angular velocity variation along the azimuthal axis, including the maximum feasible angular velocity provided by the azimuthal axis drive, was chosen. Numerical simulation of antenna guidance algorithms that provide stable signal receiving under conditions of ship roll was carried out in the visual development environment of Embarcadero RAD Studio XE6. Several variants for operation of the rotary support drives of the antenna set were chosen for mathematical simulation; disturbing conditions of ship roll and ship drift were analyzed and chosen for ships with small displacement. The simulation validated the designed antenna control algorithm and showed that the requirements for the cinematic parameters of the antenna drives were reduced under conditions of ship roll when the axis of reflector inclination angle was introduced; and accelerometer unit or GPS receiver installed in the antenna structure additionally increased the accuracy of target designation of the antenna and improved its guidance accuracy

Annotation: Basic dynamic properties of the reentry part of the aircraft-type first stage were examined when turbojet engine is used in the recovery phase. Such configuration can be of interest because turbojets have considerably smaller rate of flow in comparison to rocket engines. Moreover, they are launched in the lower stratosphere or in the troposphere so that there is no need to place oxidizer supply on board. This recovery plan differs from an alternative rocket recovery system and, from our point of view, provides more efficient usage of the fuel stores because it doesn’t require the main propulsion to be started in the recovery phase. Besides the analysis of qualitative characteristics of the descend phase for this stage, the efficiency of a wing with moderate values of maximum aerodynamic characteristics and a turbojet was studied. In this case three ways for stage recovery were investigated. The first one implied unguided descend with zero angle of attack assuming that the stage is statically stable. This descend trajectory was considered as standard and was used to evaluate the efficiency of the wing and turbojet with relatively small propulsion. The second and the third design cases offered the gliding guided descend with turbojet being started only in the lower stratosphere. The last two cases used the same program for the angle of attack. The possibility to ensure permissible overload values at the critical points of the descend trajectory and acceptable values of kinematic characteristics at the earth surface tangency point are also of great interest. Thereby the program for the angle of attack was developed in a way that allowed kinematic characteristics on touchdown be as close as possible to the corresponding values, shown by civil and/or military-transport heavy aircraft. Simulation was conducted on Microsoft Visual Studio 2010.

Annotation: The problem is defined of designing the space rocket low-pressure air thermostating systems joints. The basic requirements imposed to the joints from the side of space rocket and ground complex are determined and stated. For this purpose, the analysis of operating conditions and possible situations during rocket launches is made. Besides, the methodological principles based on problematic, systematic, and structuralfunctional approach were applied using the theoretical and empirical capabilities, attraction of general scientific and special investigation methods, as well as historical and logical methods. The list of topical issues is reflected for implementation in joint’s design. The ways are proposed to create the joints meeting the requirements imposed. As a result, it was ascertained that the joints can be made of simpler and at the same time failure-free design in the form of combined triune rubber hose fitted with a metal fixation/release unit installed on a sealing flange in a special groove. Of special note is the versatility of the proposed technical solution for use in any of the space launch systems known in the world’s practice. The article is concluded with following: the basic requirements have been formulated for ground complexes thermostating systems joints to ensure space rockets prelaunch processing and launch, in doing so, the topical problems were defined; the scientific principles were proposed to design the thermostating systems joints for comprehensive solution of the topical problems , including potential critical situations; the thermostating systems joints have been developed, manufactured and have successfully passed the ground development tests with simulation of the conditions maximally close to operating ones at static operating air pressures and in off-nominal situations.

Annotation: At Yuzhnoye State Design Office, the Cyclone-4 launch vehicle 3rd stage engine has been developed and is under testing. For adjustment of the engine and test bench systems, in the first firing tests the radiation-cooled nozzle extension was replaced with a steel water-cooled one. It was planned to start the engine with water-cooled nozzle extension without vacuumizing and without gad dynamic pipe, which conditioned operation with flow separation at the output edge of water-cooled nozzle extension. Therefore, the calculation of flow in the nozzle with water-cooled extension, flow separation place, and thermal load on watercooled nozzle extension during operation in ground conditions is an important task. Selection of turbulent flow model has a noticeable impact on prediction of flow characteristics. The gas dynamic analysis of the nozzle with water-cooled extension showed the importance of using the turbulent flow model k-ω SST for the flows with internal separation of boundary layer and with flow separation at nozzle section. The use the flow model k-ω SST for calculation of nozzle with flow separation or with internal transitional layer allows adequately describing the flow pattern, though, as the comparison with experimental data showed, this model predicts later flow separation from the wall than that obtained in the tests. The calculation allows obtaining a temperature profile of the wall and providing the recommendations for selection of pressure measurement place in the nozzle extension for the purpose of reducing sensors indication error. With consideration for the special nature of the nozzle extension wall temperature field, the cooling mode was selected. The tests of RD861K engine nozzle with water-cooled extension allow speaking about its successful use as a required element for testing engine start and operation in ground conditions without additional test bench equipment.

Annotation: The paper shows the peculiarities of modeling the vacuum conditions to simulate space environment when conducting various test types. Based on generalized experience, the practical criteria are recommended with consideration for accompanying physical phenomina.