Air Force Brilliant Pebbles
Flight Dynamics Simulator
(back to Dynamic Test Platforms & Air Bearings)
Test Article Capacity |
100 pounds |
Stored Impulse Capacity |
650 lb-sec |
|
3 Degrees of Freedom |
Pitch: ±15 degrees Yaw: ±180 degrees Roll: ±15 degrees |
Special Features |
Remote Initialization Fiber Optic Data Link 90 radian/sec2 roll acceleration |
|
Axis Torque Capability |
Pitch: 20 lb-ft Yaw: 20 lb-ft Roll: 83 lb-ft |
Electrical Power |
Thrusters: 32Vdc Air Bearing: 24Vdc |
|
Minimum Torque Bit |
Pitch: 0.06 lb-ft-sec Yaw: 0.06 lb-ft-sec Roll: 0.25 lb-ft-sec |
Feed Pressure |
RCS Supply: 4500 psi GN2 Air Bearing/Release: 150 psi air Manual Fill Valve |
In support of the Air Force Brilliant Pebbles Interceptor program GDC designed, manufactured, integrated, and delivered a highly responsive flight dynamics simulator to Hughes Missile Systems Company. To provide the required roll accelerations of 90 radians per second squared GDC provided a high response 25-pound cold-gas thruster that was mounted in pairs, on two-foot long manifold arms. To keep roll moments of inertia low, the flight guidance electronics were placed offboard, and seeker/IMU data were provided via a GDC-developed fiber-optic data link. |