SRI PARTICIPATION IN VOLTAGE BREAKDOWN AND ROCKET CHARGING EXPERIMENTS ON NIKE-CAJUN ROCKET AFCRL AD 6.841.

Abstract : Results of antenna voltage breakdown and rocket charging experiments on the supersonic flight of Nike-Cajun Rocket AD 6-841 are presented. Rocket altitudes up to 340,000 feet and rocket velocities up to 5000 feet per second were obtained. Flight-test measurements of the voltage breakdown of a VHF quadra-loop antenna and an X-band slot antenna are compared to static laboratory measurements. Modification of antenna breakdown characteristics by local aerodynamic effects and other effects are shown to exist. The electric field meter experiment, designed to measure both convection currents and true electric field, is described. Flight-test measurements of true electric field and rocket charging at low altitudes and of convection currents at high altitudes are presented. Convection currents are shown to be correlated with the VHF antenna voltage breakdown. (Author)