A ROLL BEARING WITH DYNAMIC LOAD SENSING FOR WIND TUNNEL VIRTUAL FLIGHT TESTING

We propose to develop a gas bearing balance technology for high fidelity virtual flight testing of missiles in the wind tunnel. To perform such tests, a means of measuring low and high frequency loads at the bearing must be developed, as well as a means of providing high pressure air to the test model control jets without interfering with the pivot or load measurement functions of the bearing. In Phase I, we propose to construct a cylindrical gas bearing and demonstrate a means of delivering mass flow to the test model. We will also demonstrate a high bandwidth load sensing technique based on measuring bearing film pressures with micromachined fast responsepressure sensors. Steady state cliabration and frequency response data will be experimentally obtained from the prototype. The effects of the air supply delivery on the force measurement will be quanitified.