Author Topic: Dream Chaser Nose Landing Gear Skid System ready for landing tests  (Read 7237 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/07/dream-chaser-nlg-skid-system-landing-tests/

Going to start a centralized update thread (as the other one seems to be more  Q&A) - or covert this one - when I get time over the next 12 hours.
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Offline Confusador

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Going to start a centralized update thread (as the other one seems to be more  Q&A)
Thanks - This is one of those topics that's been crying out for a split between updates and general discussion.

Nice article, as usual!  I appreciate your going out of the way to get pics and data, even if they aren't forthcoming.

Offline Rocket Science

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Nice article Chris. I’m curious how the nose gear skid “contact patch” is protected from entry heat. It must fold under the gear door in some fashion (spring loaded?). and release during deploy.  I don’t see it “hanging out in the breeze” for it would potentially trip the boundary layer under the belly causing high heat load aft of it…
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Offline Prober

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Chris has some feeling for winged spacecraft.

Not a bad thing at all.
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Offline Todd Martin

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Great to see more updates on Dream Chaser.  Two concerns come to mind with a skid instead of a wheel. 

Will the skid scrape up the runway? 

Will the skid throw up a lot of sparks and pose a fire risk?

I look forward to seeing the landing tests to see how it performs!

Offline Robotbeat

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The skid wouldn't be made out of metal on its contact surface, most likely. So throwing up sparks isn't going to happen. Also, even if it did, what is there to start on fire?
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Offline JohnFornaro

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Great to see more updates on Dream Chaser.  Two concerns come to mind with a skid instead of a wheel. 

1) Will the skid scrape up the runway? 

2) Will the skid throw up a lot of sparks and pose a fire risk?

I look forward to seeing the landing tests to see how it performs!

1) There will be wear on both runway and skid.

2) All part of the show, folks!

I like DreamChaser.
Sometimes I just flat out don't get it.

Offline Lobo

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The skid wouldn't be made out of metal on its contact surface, most likely. So throwing up sparks isn't going to happen. Also, even if it did, what is there to start on fire?

Yea, not like you are going to catch the heat shield tiles on fire...

Offline Rocket Science

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Since SNC likes KISS, something like a common ceramic/carbon/composite disc brake material should work fine…
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Chris Bergin

Thanks for the nice words :)

Chris has some feeling for winged spacecraft.

Not a bad thing at all.


You know me! ;)

Right, so as noted, I'll set up an UPDATE thread and a GENERAL thread. They will be "one stop shops" per the opening posts on each thread, so as to keep everything nice and tidy. Those will be live by the time most people will have read this post.

Hopefully this won't be killed by funding going into CCiCAP and we can get to the point where we have enough for a section of its own.
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Offline Rocket Science

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The skid wouldn't be made out of metal on its contact surface, most likely. So throwing up sparks isn't going to happen. Also, even if it did, what is there to start on fire?

Yea, not like you are going to catch the heat shield tiles on fire...
Runway lint? ::)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

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