Engineering >> Computer Science & EngineeringEmbedded Systemsby Sarah Brueck
Submitted : Spring 2011 A man-portable air-defense system consists of a 15 kg missile that is launched at an aircraft that is located 4.5 km east (at 45°) and at a height of 4.5 km. The missile can maintain a speed of 950 m/s for five minutes and the aircraft is traveling at 300 km/hr (about 83.3 m/s). Picturing this setup as a right triangle, the student must first calculate the position of the aircraft. Then by using that information, they can calculate the change in the angle between the aircraft and the missile. Finally, the student can calculate the x and y components of the missile’s position and then use the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the distance between the missile and the target. The method of trial and error is used largely in this project to track the trajectory of both the missile and the aircraft over various intervals of time. The speed of the aircraft is modified to see to what extent we can push the limit of the missile’s ability to make contact with its target. The distance in the y direction between the aircraft and the missile was quickly traveled by the missile because the aircraft’s y component remains constant. However, the x component of velocity of the aircraft was comparable to the missile’s x component of velocity. Due to the information given to the student from the advisor, if the distance between the missile and the target is zero or less, then the two objects have hit, which was the case in every situation. Related Links:
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