TWRackers
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I've been wondering about NASA's proposed Crew Launch Vehicle ( https://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0512/08clv/ ) which is basically a modified Solid Rocket Booster for the first stage, a liquid-fueled second stage using one (or more?) Space Shuttle Main Engines, and a new Apollo-like Command/Service Module with escape tower sitting on top.
What I'm curious about is how roll control of such a rocket would be accomplished. There are no fins, and with only a single motor nozzle, you have control over two axes of rotation easily enough, but not roll. The only choices I can see are (1) using reaction control thrusters on CSM, but they're optimized for use in vacuum (long nozzles), or (2) roll control is not required on such a rocket. I'm trying to think of an earlier NASA launch vehicle that had only a single first stage nozzle and no fins. None of the manned boosters fall in that category; the Mercury Redstone was the only one with a single motor, but it had fins. The Mercury Atlas had 3 nozzles plus two verniers, the Gemini Titan had two motors, and the Saturns 1B and 5 had 8 and 5 respectively.
Anybody have any other ideas?
What I'm curious about is how roll control of such a rocket would be accomplished. There are no fins, and with only a single motor nozzle, you have control over two axes of rotation easily enough, but not roll. The only choices I can see are (1) using reaction control thrusters on CSM, but they're optimized for use in vacuum (long nozzles), or (2) roll control is not required on such a rocket. I'm trying to think of an earlier NASA launch vehicle that had only a single first stage nozzle and no fins. None of the manned boosters fall in that category; the Mercury Redstone was the only one with a single motor, but it had fins. The Mercury Atlas had 3 nozzles plus two verniers, the Gemini Titan had two motors, and the Saturns 1B and 5 had 8 and 5 respectively.
Anybody have any other ideas?