Since trajectory accuracy was not a crucial factor, # zera-length
launcher wis employed because of its sizmplicircy.
With chis lamcher, eleva-
tion-angle settizgs of 60 to 90 degrees and arimuth changes of 15 degrees
were possible without resetting the base plate.
Camputed dispersica =e.23
error of the 20 firings in the Pacific was 45 ails, vith a mszimm of 6&3
nils.
Same system aerodynamical characteristics are shown by Fig. 5.17, pro-
widing plots of altitude and velocity versus tize, and Fig. 5.15 showing
wariation of maximo altitude as a fimction of second-stage weight and launch
angle.
Second stage bere is the sum of Arrow and nose section weight.
These
curwes result from calculations on the IBM 70% and are predicated on a sez
level launch, a total unit weight of 228 pounds, aml a second-stage weight
of 41 pounds, including 11 pounds nose assembly plus 5 pounds ballast.
Since
ballast was added to decrease apogee altitude, target ejection occurred near
minimus speed.
Firing of the booster at launch results in an initial 27-g acceleration
ov the uit.
This closes an acceleration switch which requires 18 g to actuate;
the latter starts a mechanical timer.
After booster burnout, differentia:
drag separates the stages prior to sustainer ignition at 22 seconds.
The
second stage continues on a ballistic course to altitude, where the duslpurpose timer fires a squib which expells the nose cone and chaff cylinder
housing, exposing the chaff for dispersal by air drag and centrifugal forces.
Ground instrumentation exployed in following the target consisted of tvo
MSQ-1La radars, furnished and manned by the Air Force.
These radars operate
at frequencies near 2900 megacycles with peak power output near 1 megzwatt
at sea level.
They have a range in excess of 10
feet.
Raw data from the
radar, consisting of slant range and elevation and azimuth angles, were fed
through a computer to a plotting board, which provided a horizontal plan
plot of the target movement.
Altitudes, corresponding to time sarks every
30 seconds, were noted manually on this plot.
5.3.3 wind Prediction
Feom ooservations made in tropical and te=perate latitudes, linired
wind data are available upward to the aazisam teoperature layer near 164,000
feet.
166
During the summer sonths the layer extending from 60,000 ta at least