Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Feasibility of kinetic orbital bombardment Cover
Open Access
|Feb 2024

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1:

Initial conditions for the re-entry simulation.
Initial conditions for the re-entry simulation.

Fig. 2:

Diagram of the re-entering projectile.
Diagram of the re-entering projectile.

Fig. 3:

Drag coefficient (CD) vs. Mach number for the XM110 projectile for both laminar and turbulent flow. This graph is based on data collected by Braun (1973).
Drag coefficient (CD) vs. Mach number for the XM110 projectile for both laminar and turbulent flow. This graph is based on data collected by Braun (1973).

Fig. 4:

Flight trajectory (a), velocity (b) and path angle (c) to test the influence of the Reynolds number.
Flight trajectory (a), velocity (b) and path angle (c) to test the influence of the Reynolds number.

Fig. 5:

Penetration mechanisms.
Penetration mechanisms.

Fig. 6:

Schematic of normal and oblique impacts. The blue bar represents the projectile and the dashed bar represents the impact cavity.
Schematic of normal and oblique impacts. The blue bar represents the projectile and the dashed bar represents the impact cavity.

Fig. 7:

Normalised penetration depth graphed for concrete (blue) and steel (orange) and for a range of impact velocities v0.
Normalised penetration depth graphed for concrete (blue) and steel (orange) and for a range of impact velocities v0.

Fig. 8:

Flight time as a function of the projectile length for different altitudes.
Flight time as a function of the projectile length for different altitudes.

Fig. 9:

Penetration depth as a function of the projectile length for concrete targets.
Penetration depth as a function of the projectile length for concrete targets.

Fig. 10:

Initial orbital velocity and ΔV as a function of orbital height, necessary to transfer to a 15 km orbit.
Initial orbital velocity and ΔV as a function of orbital height, necessary to transfer to a 15 km orbit.

Fig. 11:

Flight path angle vs. time for a projectile length of 0.56 m for different start altitudes.
Flight path angle vs. time for a projectile length of 0.56 m for different start altitudes.

Fig. 12:

Earthquake magnitude for projectile lengths ranging from 0.1 m to 6.1 m.
Earthquake magnitude for projectile lengths ranging from 0.1 m to 6.1 m.

Fig. 13:

Mass-to-orbit per projectile for varied lengths of projectiles.
Mass-to-orbit per projectile for varied lengths of projectiles.

Fig. 14:

Penetration depth P for concrete and steel for different methods and projectile lengths. (Left: concrete; Right: steel).
Penetration depth P for concrete and steel for different methods and projectile lengths. (Left: concrete; Right: steel).

Flight parameters for different delivery methods (the range of the results is associated with the effect of the projectile length)_

MethodImpact velocity [m/s]Impact angle [°]
Re-entry240–6,6005–60
Bomber250–60063–80
Suborbital flight1,215–6,32535–36

Overview of relevant material properties_

Materialρt [kg/m3]fc[MPa]$f_c^\prime [{\rm{MPa}}]$Rt [GPa]
7 ksi Concrete [HJC]2,44048-
SAC5 Concrete [N et al.]2,29937.9-
WSMR-5 3/4 Concrete [SYG]2,29944.8-
3.7 ksi Concrete [SYG]1,99025.5-
Concrete [VLK]2,30051-
Limestone [VLK] [WHP]2,300–2,32058–63-
Sandstone [B et al.]2,000–2,04016–30-
Steel [T]7,850-3.45–5.18

Overview of material properties with dynamic penetration parameters_

Materialρtkgm3${\rho _t}\left[ {{{{\rm{kg}}} \over {{{\rm{m}}^3}}}} \right]$fc[MPa]$f_c^\prime {\rm{[MPa]}}$Rt [MPa]Yp [MPa]
Concrete (lower boundary) [SYG]1,99025.5362-
Concrete (upper boundary) [VLK]2,30051495-
Steel (lower boundary) [T]7,850-3,450-
Steel (upper boundary) [T]7,850-5,180-
Tungsten alloy [T]17,000--1,930
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jms-2024-0001 | Journal eISSN: 1799-3350 | Journal ISSN: 2242-3524
Language: English
Page range: 1 - 15
Submitted on: Jan 31, 2023
|
Accepted on: Sep 13, 2023
|
Published on: Feb 5, 2024
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2024 L. Koene, N.V.H. Schouten, R. Savelsberg, published by National Defense University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.