ANALYSIS OF THRUST EFFECTS ON DIRECTIONAL STABILITY OF A SIMPLIFIED 2-DOF MODEL OF AN ELASTIC ROCKET STRUCTURE

Resumo

A simplified model of a rocket structure by means of a 2-DOF, lumped parameter Beck
column analogue was studied through stability analysis by Lyapunov’s first method linearization of the
equations of motion around equilibrium under different thrust intensities and spring constants. The
equations of motion were generated from the analytical differentiation of the Lagrange’s equations
with dissipative effects lumped into a Rayleigh function and external forces represented by the action
of a single follower force, which is tangent to the nozzle.