Ex/PGE/9603/121/2004

MASTER OF CONTROL SYSTEM ENGG.

EXAMINATION, 2004
1st Semester

ROCKETS AND MISSILES

Time : Three hours

Full Marks : 100

Answer any five questions.

Taking at least one question from Group B.

GROUPA
1.

a)

Explain in detail the loads which the air-frame are to

withstand.

b)

How does a wake form ? What steps are to be taken

up to reduce pressure drag ?

c)

What is meant by downwash ? Explain how loss of lift

occurs due to wake and downwash.

2.

a)

8+6+6

How would a spacecraft orbiting in one orbit could

catch up a spacecraft orbiting in the higher orbit ?

b)

We wish to launch a satellite which would orbit the

earth 500 Km above the surface of the earth. Describe
the necessary steps and arrangements to put the satellite
in orbit at 500 Km attitude.

c)

Calculate the velocity of the vehicle necessary to be in

c i r c u l a r orbit at 500 Km a l t i t u d e if Gravitational
[Turn Over]

( 2 )
constant G = 6.67 10-11 Nm2Kg2, Mass of Earth =
5.975 x 1024 Kg and Mean Radius of Earth = 6371 Km.
What would be the escape v e l o c i t y

at 500 Km

altitude ?

a)

6+8+6

Why majority of launch sites are located as close to the

equator as possible ? When the velocity of rotation of
Earths surface at Launch site subtracts algebrically to
the velocity of the satellite ?

b)

Define

Specific

Impulse.

Show

that

the

Specific

Propellant consumption is the reciprocal of the specific

impulse.
c)

Define Propellant mass fraction. Show how it is related

to instantaneous mass m at any time t and all up mass
mo . Assume propulsion time as tp.

a)

6+6+8

Derive the equations of motion of a space v e h i c l e

moving in rectilinear equilibrium flight assuming all the
control forces, lateral forces and moments that tend to
turn

the

vehicle

is

zero.

The

trajectory

is

two

dimensional and is contained in a fixed plane. The

vehicle is inclined to the flight path at an angle of attack
and and are the angles of flight path and direction
of thrust F with the horizontal. Assume L and D as the
aerodynamic Lift and Drag force respectively. Show the
effect of Specific Impulse Isp.
b) Explain why multistage rockets are used ? What is the
function of strap-on boosters ?
12+8

(3)

5.

a)

Explain with the h e l p of a schematic diagram the basic

components of l i q u i d propellant rocket engine.

b)

Explain with diagram the different types of injector in

l i q u i d propellant rocket engine.

c)

List the advantages of l i q u i d propulsion system.

8+8+4

6.

a)

Explain the reasons for having different solid propellant

grain configurations. What are the different modes of
burning of solid propellant rocket motor ?

b)

How solid propellants may be classified ? Explain the

characteristics and chemical compositions of each class
of solid propellants.

c)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solid

propellant ?

8+8+4
GROUP-B

7. a)

Distinguish between the longitudinal and lateraldirectional motions of an air-plane.

Give a short overview of the convention used for
indicating

the

positive

directions

for

resultant

aerodynamic forces and moments about axes, linear

velocities along axes and the angular velocities and
displacements about axes assuming a r i g h t

handed

co-ordinate system.
[Turn Over]

(4)
Discuss the motion of an air-plane propelled by rockets
in the x-z plane in a steady climb. Derive an expression
for the angle of climb under equilibrium condition in
terms of gross weight of the air-plane, the thrust and
the aerodynamic drag on the air-plane.
b)

12

An air-plane goes into a vertical power drive directly

over its target at a constant velocity of 900 Km/h. An
anti-aircraft gun fires a shell vertically upwards with an
initial velocity of 600 m/s when the plane is at 1805 m
elevation.

i)

Find the elevation at which the shell hits the plane and
the time required for that. Neglect air resistance.

ii)

If the shell misses the plane and the plane releases a

bomb at 1400 m elevation, how long there after would
the bomb reach the target at zero elevation and with
what velocity does the bomb strike the target ?

8.

a)

Write notes on :
i) Use of n and t co-ordinates for describing the
velocity and the acceleration vectors for curvilinear
motion of a particle.

ii) Euler equations of motion of an air-plane derived

w.r.t. a set of axes fixed in it.
iii) Relative motion analysis for plane motion.

5
3

b) The rocket is fired vertically and tracked by the radar

shown (Fig.

1), when reaches 57, other

(5)
corresponding measurements give the values r = 8.66
Km,

= 19.5 m/s2 and

Calculate

the

= 0.015 rad/s.

magnitudes

of

the

acceleration of the rocket at this position.

velocity

and
7