Abstract
In this study, steady and unsteady aerodynamic analyses of a huge rocket configuration have been conducted in a transonic flow region. The launch vehicle structural response are coupled with the transonic flow state transitions at the nose of the payload fairing. Before performing the coupled fluid-structure transonic aeroealstic simulations transonic aerodynamic characteristics are investigated for the pitching motions of the rocket at finite angle-of-attack. An unsteady CFD analysis method with a moving grid technique based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the k-w SST transition turbulence model is applied to accurately predict the transonic loads of the rocket at pitching motion. It is shown that the fluctuating amplitude of the lateral aerodynamic loads imposed on the rocket due to the pitching motion can be significantly increased in the transonic flow region.
