Question: Explain in detail the various external forces commonly acting on a missile flying

in the earths atmosphere.

Ans: The external forces commonly acting on missiles flying in the earth's atmosphere are:
(1)Propulsive force (i.e., Thrust),
(2)Aerodynamic forces (Lift and Drag),
(3)Gravitational force (Weight).
Other forces, such as wind or solar radiation pressure, are small and generally can be
neglected for many simple calculations. These forces can be resolved along the missiles
body-axis system and fixed to the missiles center of gravity (cg). The reference axis system
standardized in guided weapons is centered on the cg and fixed in the body. Thus, any set of
axes fixed in a rigid body is a body-fixed reference frame.

Fig: Aerodynamic forces and thrust acting on a missile

Thrust:
Thrust is defined as the main forward force produced by the propulsion system to
sustain the missile in flight. It is produced by the expulsion of a reaction mass, such as the hot
gas products of a chemical reaction. It usually acts in the direction along the propeller shaft
axis or the rocket nozzle axis. Thrust T, equals the sum of two terms, the momentum thrust
and the pressure thrust.

T m p ve pe pa Ae

(1)

where m p is the mass expelled in unit time (the propellant mass flow rate), ve is the exhaust
velocity (the average actual velocity of the exhaust gases), pe is the exhaust pressure, pa the
ambient pressure, and Ae the area of the exit of the motor nozzle.
Even when the propellant flow rate and exhaust velocity are constant, so that the
thrust force is constant, a rocket will accelerate at an increasing rate because the missiles

overall mass decreases as propellant is used up. The change in velocity depends on the
missiles initial total weight, glide weight (its final weight after the propellant is expended),
thrust magnitude, and the rate at which the propellant is burning.
Lift:
Lift is the component of the resultant aerodynamic force that is perpendicular (i.e.,
upward) to the relative wind (direction of flight) or to the undisturbed free-stream velocity.
The aerodynamic lift is produced primarily by the pressure forces acting on the vehicle
surface. Also, the lift force is perpendicular to the missiles velocity vector in the vertical
plane. The lift is present only when the angle of attack is non-zero.
Drag:
Drag is the component of the resultant aerodynamic force that is parallel to the
relative wind. In other words, it is net aerodynamic force acting in the same direction as the
undisturbed free-stream velocity. The aerodynamic drag is produced by the pressure forces
and by skin friction forces that act on the surface. The drag force is measured along the
velocity vector, but in the opposite direction. It is the aerodynamic force in a direction
opposite to the flight path due to the resistance of the body to motion in a fluid. It reduces the
missile speed, so reducing its acceleration capability. The drag acts as a retarding force, and
exists for any angle of attack, including zero.
Side force:
In addition to lift and drag, there is another aerodynamic force called side force and it
is the component of force in a direction perpendicular to both the lift and the drag and is
measured in the horizontal plane. The side force is positive when acting toward the starboard
wing, provided that the bank angle is zero.
The lift force (L), drag force (D) and Side force (FY) are given by

L CL q S
D CD q S
FY CY q S

where

(2)
(3)
(4)

CL = Lift Coefficient = CL 0 CL ,
CD = Drag Coefficient = CD 0 C D ,
CY = Side force Coefficient = CY 0 CY CY A ,
1
2
= mass density of the fluid in which the vehicle moves (atmospheric density),
V = Free-stream velocity,
S = typical surface area or reference area, usually the area of one of the airfoils,
CL 0 = total lift coefficient evaluated at = 0

q = Free-stream dynamic pressure at a point far from the airfoil = V 2 ,

= CL 0 ,
CL = total lift-curve slope,
= angle of attack (in radians),
CD 0 = total drag coefficient evaluated at = 0 (or close to it)
= CD

CD = total drag coefficient variation with angle of attack = CD ,

CY 0 = side force coefficient for zero sideslip and zero control deflection
= CY

0,

CY = change in side force coefficient due to a unit sideslip angle = CY ,

= sideslip angle (in radians),
CY = change in side force coefficient due to a unit aileron angle = CY A ,

A = aileron angle (in radians).

And the drag polar is written in the form

CD CD 0 K CL2

(5)

where
CD 0 = zero lift drag coefficient,
2

K = drag due to lift factor (also called the separation drag due to lift factor) = dCD dCL .
Equation (5) states that the total drag may be written as the sum of
(i) the drag that exists when the configuration generates zero lift ( CD 0 ), and
2
(ii) the induced drag associated with lift ( K CL ).
The lift and drag coefficients are primarily functions of the vehicle configuration, flight Mach
number, and angle of attack, which is the angle between the vehicle axis (or the wing plane)
and the flight direction. For low flight speeds the effect of Mach number may be neglected,
and the drag and lift coefficients are functions of the angle of attack.
For missiles that roll to turn, drag is the same as in equation (3), but the lift and side
force are as follows:

Lift = CLT cos q S

Side force = CLT sin q S

(6)
(7)

where
CLT = Total lift coefficient in the maneuver plane = CL2 CY2 ,

= Roll angle.
Weight:
Gravitational attraction is exerted upon a flying space vehicle by all planets, stars, the
moon, and the sun. Gravity forces pull the vehicle in the direction of the center of mass of the
attracting body. Within the immediate vicinity of the earth, the attraction of other planets and

bodies is negligibly small compared to the earth's gravitational force. This force is the
weight. The gravitational force acting on the missile is given by W = mg.
If the variation of gravity with the geographical features and the oblate shape of the
earth are neglected, the acceleration of gravity varies inversely as the square of the distance
from the earth's center. If R0 is the radius of the earth's surface and g0 the acceleration on the
earth's surface at the earth's effective radius R0, the gravitational attraction g is

g g 0 R0 R g 0 R0
2

R0 h

(8)

where h is the altitude. At the equator the earth's radius is 6378.388 km and the standard
value of g 0 is 9.80665 m/s2.