SIMULATING THE DYNAMIC SEPARATION OF LAUNCH VEHICLES
FROM THEIR SUPPORT STRUCTURES
D.J. ~lberding*
RTS T e c h n i c a l S e r v i c e s
S c o t t s d a l e , Arizona
Abstract
A technique i s presented for generating the
t r a n s i e n t r e s p o n s e o f a l a u n c h v e h i c l e d u r i n g sep-
a r a t i o n from i t s s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e . The method
u t i l i z e s a c o m p l e t e dynamic model o f t h e l a u n c h
v e h i c l e and s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e , w i t h n o l i m i t a t i o n s
on t h e number o f i n t e r f a c e d e g r e e s o f freedom.
Changes o c c u r r i n g i n t h e s t r u c t u r a l math model d u r -
ing t h e point-by-point s e p a r a t i o n a r e accounted
f o r by i n t r o d u c i n g t e r m s t o t h e r i g h t - h a n d - s i d e
of t h e e q u a t i o n s o f m o t i o n . T h i s a l l o w s t h e ana-
l y s t t o employ a s i n g l e s e t of s y s t e m modes t o
s i m u l a t e t h e v e h i c l e s t r a n s i t i o n from t h e con-
strained t o the free-free configuration.
Nomenclature
v e h i c l e d i s c r e t e displacement v e c t o r .
Xv
support d i s c r e t e displacement v e c t o r .
Xs
vehicle discrete acceleration vector.
*v
support d i s c r e t e acceleration vector.
s Faced w i t h t h e s e c h o i c e s t h e a n a l y s t might
vehicle discrete force vector.
Fv
support d i s c r e t e force vector.
Fs
R interface reactions.
I/F
v e h i c l e d i s c r e t e mass m a t r i x .
Mv
s u p p o r t d i s c r e t e mass m a t r i x .
Ms
vehicle discrete s t i f f n e s s matrix.
Kv
support d i s c r e t e s t i f f n e s s matrix.
Ks
generalized displacement v e c t o r .
Q s t ~ u c t u r a lmath model. One a p p r o a c h employed a
Q generalized acceleration vector.
W system n a t u r a l frequencies.
@ s y s t e m modes.
I identity matrix.
LTM load transformat ion matrix . a b n o r m a l l y a b r u p t r e l e a s e . Another a p p r o a c h
Introduction
F o r t h e s t r u c t u r a l a n a l y s t , whose j o b i t i s
t o s i m u l a t e t h e dynamic r e s p o n s e o f l a u n c h v e h i c -
l e s , a c l e a r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e s e p a r a t i o n pro-
c e s s i s e s s e n t i a l . During a t y p i c a l l i f t o f f se-
quence t h e v e h i c l e i s s u b j e c t e d t o a v a r i e t y o f
e x t e r n a l e x c i t a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g : Engine t h r u s t ,
guidance c o n t r o l f o r c e s , i g n i t i o n over pressure,
and g u s t i n g w i n d s . However, a good d e a l o f t h e
dynamic a c t i v i t y o c c u r r i n g a t l i f t o f f i s a r e s u l t
of t h e v e h i c l e ' s a b r u p t s e p a r a t i o n from i t s sup-
port s t r u c t u r e . This i s due, i n p a r t , t o a re-
d i s t r i b u t i o n of t h e i n t e r n a l s t r u c t u r a l energy a s
s u p p o r t o f t h e v e h i c l e s h i f t s from t h e l a u n c h
* C o n s u l t a n t u n d e r c o n t r a c t t o t h e Space T r a n s -
p o r t a t i o n and Systems Group o f Rockwell I n -
t e r n a t i o n a l C o r p . , Downey, C a l i f o r n i a .
Released to A l A A to publish in all forms.
180
mount a t t a c h p o i n t s t o t h e t h r u s t s t r u c t u r e o f t h e
booster. I n a d d i t i o n , i t s sudden r e l e a s e from a
c o n s t r a i n e d c o n f i g u r a t i o n - r e s u l t i n g from s u c h
t h i n g s a s s t r u c t u r a l misalignment, cryogenic
s h r i n k a g e , element pre-loads, o r base bending
moment - p r o d u c e s a d d i t i o n a l e x c i t a t i o n o f t h e
v e h i c l e . These f a c t o r s combine t o form a d i f -
f i c u l t problem f o r t h e dynamic a n a l y s t . One
whose c o m p l e x i t i e s r e q u i r e t h o r o u g h e x a m i n a t i o n t o
insure a r e a l i s t i c simulation.
The p r i n c i p a l o b s t i c l e t o overcome i n a n
a n a l y s i s of t h i s n a t u r e i s accommodating t h e mul-
t i p l e c h a n g e s o c c u r r i n g a t t h e boundary o r i n t e r -
f a c e of t h e v e h i c l e and i t s s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e
during s e p a r a t i o n . A t r a d i t i o n a l approach - using
a s e t o f normal modes t o d e c o u p l e t h e e q u a t i o n s of
m o t i o n - i s hampered a s e a c h i n t e r m e d i a t e c o n f i g -
u r a t i o n would r e q u i r e a u n i q u e s e t o f normal modes.
A l s o , t h e u s e of l o a d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n m a t r i c e s ,
which o f t e n c o n t a i n e l e m e n t s of t h e s t r u c t u r e ' s
f l e x i b i l i t y m a t r i x , would be r e s t r i c t e d b e c a u s e
e a c h new c o n f i g u r a t i o n h a s a u n i q u e f l e x i b i l i t y ,
r e q u i r i n g r e - i n v e r s i o n of t h e d i s c r e t e s t i f f n e s s
matrix.
opt f o r a d i r e c t numerical i n t e g r a t i o n of t h e
d i s c r e t e e q u a t i o n s of m o t i o n . T h i s would a l l o w
f o r a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d m o d i f i c a t i o n of t h e s t r u c -
t u r a l math model a s c h a n g e s a t t h e boundary o c c u r -
r e d . However, a s i s n o r m a l l y t h e c a s e , d i r e c t
n u m e r i c a l i n t e g r a t i o n of l a r g e m u l t i p l e d e g r e e of
freedom s y s t e m s i s c o s t l y and u s u a l l y beyond t h e
means o f t h o s e w i t h l i m i t e d c o m p u t a t i o n a l r e -
sources.
Past attempts a t simulating a launch v e h i c l e ' s
l i f t o f f have i n v o l v e d s i m p l i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e
simple s t a t i c reduction transformation t o c u t 1
down t h e number o f boundary d e g r e e s of freedom .
T h i s r e d u c e d t h e number of i n t e r m e d i a t e c o n f i g u r a -
t i o n s and s i m p l i f i e d t h e s e p a r a t i o n s i m u l a t i o n .
However, t h i s p r o c e s s a l t e r e d t h e t r u e c h a r a c t e r -
i s t i c s o f t h e s t r u c t u r e and made f o r a c r u d e and
t r e a t e d t e v e h i c l e ' s l a u n c h mount a s a r i g i d
s t r ~ c t u r e ~Here ~ ~ . a c o m p l e t e d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e
boundary was p r e s e r v e d b u t a t t h e e x p e n s e of t h e
s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e ' s dynamic p r o p e r t i e s .
Presented i n t h i s paper i s a technique t h a t
e n a b l e s t h e a n a l y s t t o s i m u l a t e t h e dynamic s e p -
a r a t i o n of a l a u n c h v e h i c l e from i t s s u p p o r t
s t r u c t u r e . The method i s r i g o r o u s i n t h a t it
employes a c o m p l e t e dynamic model of t h e v e h i c l e
and i t s l a u n c h mount, w i t h no u n u s u a l s i m p l i f i -
c a t i o n s of t h e i n t e r f a c e . No l i m i t a t i o n s a r e
p l a c e d on t h e number of boundary d e g r e e s of f r e e -
dom, o r on t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f t h e r e s t r a i n i n g me-
c h a n i s m . The a p p r o a c h u t i l i z e s a s i n g l e s e t o f
normal modes and i n t e r f a c e l o a d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s
m a t r i c e s t o s i m u l a t e t h e v e h i c l e ' s t r a n s i t i o n from
the constrained t o free-free condition, accounting
f o r e a c h i n t e r m e d i a t e c o n f i g u r a t i o n a l o n g t h e way.
I n g e n e r a l , t h e t e c h n i q u e i s e a s y t o implement and
s h o u l d prove u s e f u l t o t h o s e working w i t h l a u n c h
vehicles.
A n a l y t i c a l Development n o t uncommon and e a s i l y a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h s e l e c t e d
modeling t e c h n i q u e s .
The o b j e c t i v e of t h e dynamic l i f t o f f s i m u l a -
t i o n i s t o g e n e r a t e r e a c t i o n s between t h e v e h i c l e
and i t s s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e , f o r a l l c o u p l e d and
p a r t i a l l y coupled configurations. Later, these ) SUPPORT
(2)

r e a c t i o n s a r e combined w i t h t h o s e f o r c e s o r i g i n a l l y
a p p l i e d t o t h e v e h i c l e t o form a c o m p l e t e dynamic P r o c e e d i n g i n t h e normal f a s h i o n t h e a s s o c i a t e d
environment f o r t h e v e h i c l e a s a f r e e - f r e e s t r u c - e i g e n v a l u e problem i s s o l v e d t o o b t a i n t h e i d e n t i e s
t u r e ( s e e f i g u r e I ) . The r e s u l t i n g f r e e - f r e e
e q u a t i o n s of m o t i o n a r e e a s i l y w r i t t e n a s

where F i s a vector of e x t e r n a l l y applied forces

a v e c t o r of t h e pre-determined i n t e r f a c e
and
react1 ns.

T h i s f e a t u r e of t h e l i f t o f f s i m u l a t i o n , o f t e n
r e f e r r e d t o a s a p a r a l l e l a n a l y s i s , i s n o t new. For
y e a r s i t h a s b e e n , and c o n t i n u e s t o b e , a p r a c t i c a l
technique f o r d e f i n i n g t h e time dependent f o r c e s
a c t i n g on a l a u n c h v e h i c l e d u r i n g l i f t o f f . The Incorporating equations (3) through (5) i n t o
d i f f i c u l t y w i t h t h i s method h a s b e e n t h e g e n e r a t i o n equation ( 2 ) y i e l d s a diagonal equation of motion
of i n t e r f a c e r e a c t i o n s a s t h e s t r u c t u r e t r a n s i t i o n s i n generalized coordinates
t h r o u g h t h e many i n t e r m e d i a t e c o n f i g u r a t i o n s o f
separation. What f o l l o w s i s a scheme t h a t m i n i m i z e s
this difficulty.

S e p a r a t i o n E q u a t i o n s of Mot i o n Equations of t h i s type a r e e a s i l y solved i n closed-

form f o r Q and Q . L i k e w i s e t h e i n t e r f a c e r e a c -
The g e n e r a t i o n of i n t e r f a c e r e a c t i o n s b e g i n s t i o n s c a n be computed u s i n g any o f a number of w e l l
w i t h a s i n g l e s e t o f normal modes, and a s s o c i a t e d established techniques. These c a n be summerized
i n t e r f a c e load t r a n s f o r m a t i o n m a t r i c e s , f o r t h e with the general expression
f u l l y coupled launch v e h i c l e / s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e
configuration. This allows f o r a simple closed-
form s o l u t i o n of t h e e q u a t i o n s of m o t i o n d u r i n g { R , , ~ ]= {G,(F.'J,al\ ,
t h e p e r i o d i n which no s e p a r a t i o n h a s o c c u r r e d .
E q u a t i o n s ( 2 ) and ( 6 ) i l l u s t r a t e g r a p h i c a l l y t h e where G i s a v e c t o r f u n c t i o n o f t h e d i s c r e t e
c o u p l e d e q u a t i o n s of m o t i o n , i n d i s c r e t e and f o r c e and t h e g e n e r a l i z e d d i s p l a c e m e n t s and
generalized coordinates r e s p e c t i v e l y , of a v e h i c l e accelerations.
and i t s s u p p o r t . N o t i c e , i n e q u a t i o n ( 2 ) , t h a t
c o u p l i n g between t h e two s t r u c t u r e s o c c u r s i n t h e As s e p a r a t i o n b e g i n s , c h a n g e s o c c u r r i n g i n
s t i f f n e s s m a t r i x o n l y . T h i s form of c o u p l i n g i s t h e e q u a t i o n s o f m o t i o n a r e a c c o u n t e d f o r , n o t by

LAUNCH
VEHICLE

SUPPORT
STRUCTURE

INTERFACE REACTIONS

Figure I . P a r a l l e l Analysis.

181
a l t e r i n g t h e o r i g i n a l mass and s t i f f n e s s m a t r i c e s ,
b u t by i n t r o d u c i n g t e r m s t h a t r e f l e c t t h e s e c h a n g e s
t o t h e r i g h t - h a n d - s i d e of t h e e q u a t i o n s . E q u a t i o n s
( 8 ) t h r o u g h ( 1 0 ) i l l u s t r a t e how d i f f e r e n t con-
f i g u r a t i o n s of s e p a r a t i o n - i n t h i s c a s e t h e com-
p l e t e l y separated configuration - a r e simulated.
2. W i l k e n i n g , H . , K e s s l e r , R . , and l k a r d , R.:
Program T i t a n I I I B D e s i g n Loads R e p o r t . SSD-
CR-66- 105. Mart i n M a r i e t t a C o r p o r a t i o n ,
Denver, C o l o r a d o , O c t o b e r 1969.
3. White, C.: C a t e g o r y B S t u d y T i t a n EEEB-36,
Dynamics and Loads S t u d .y ,. MCR-70-442. Martin
M a r i e t t a C o r p o r a t i o n , Denver, C o l o r a d o ,

hd1 R,ii:l= ]-:I

4' .-,:-

+
(8)
4.
November 1970.

M e i r o v i t c h , L . , A n a l y t i c a l Methods i n V i b r a -
t i o n s , Macmillan, New York, 1967.

(9) 5. Meirovitch, L., Elements f o V i b r a t i o n A n a l y s i s ,

McGraw-Hill, New York, 1975.

S u b s t i t u t i n g e q u a t i o n s ( 3 ) t h r o u g h ( 5 ) i n t o equa-
t i o n ( 10) y i e l d s a n e q u a t i o n whose l e f t - h a n d - s i d e
i s d i a g o n a l i z e d and whose r i g h t - h a n d - s i d e con-
t a i n s t h e dependent v a r i a b l e .

I n t h i s form, t h e a n a l y s t f o r g o e s a c l o s e d - f o r m
s o l u t i o n and must r e v e r t t o some t y p e of n u m e r i c a l
i n t e g r a t i o n . As b e f o r e t h e i n t e r f a c e r e a c t i o n s a r e
g i v e n by t h e g e n e r a l e x p r e s s i o n

D i s c u s s i o n and C o n c l u s i o n

A t e c h n i q u e was p r e s e n t e d which a l l o w s t h e
analyst t o generate t h e t r a n s i e n t response of a
l a u n c h v e h i c l e d u r i n g i t s p o i n t - b y - p o i n t sep-
a r a t i o n from i t s s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e . The method
r e q u i r e d no u n u s u a l s i m p l i f i c a t i o n s of t h e i n t e r -
f a c e , p l a c e d no r e s t r i c t i o n s on t h e number of
i n t e r f a c e d e g r e e s of freedom, and made n o com-
promise o f t h e s t r u c t u r e ' s d y n a m i c a l p r o p e r t i e s .
Changes o c c u r r i n g i n t h e s t r u c t u r a l math model
were a c c o u n t e d f o r by i n t r o d u c i n g t e r m s t o t h e
right-hand-side of the equations of motion,
r e q u i r i n g a n u m e r i c a l i n t e g r a t i o n . However,
t h i s i s a minor s h o r t c o m i n g when compared w i t h
t h e t a s k of g e n e r a t i n g e i g e n s o l u t i o n s f o r a
multitude of c o n f i g u r a t i o n s , simply f o r t h e sake
of t h e c l o s e d - f o r m s o l u t i o n . In addition,
dynamic a n a l y s e s o f t h i s t y p e u s u a l l y employ a
t r u n c a t e d s e t o f normal modes. Numerical i n t e g r a -
t i o n of t h i s s m a l l s e t o f g e n e r a l i z e d e q u a t i o n s ,
w i t h d i a g o n a l c o e f f i c i e n t m a t r i c e s , i s by f a r
e a s i e r t h a n a d i r e c t i n t e g r a t i o n of a l a r g e s e t
of d i s c r e t e equations with t h e i r f u l l y populated
coefficient matrices.

References

I. Kaminsky, J . A . : S t r u c t u r a l D e s i g n Loads D a t a
Rook, SD73-SH-0069. Shuttle Orbiter Division,
Rockwell I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o r p o r a t i o n , Downey,
C a l i f o r n i a , 1981.