Damping characteristics of a reentry vehicle at hypersonic velocities

The experimental equipment, model, test conditions, and methods used for determining the streamwise damping on a setup with free oscillations on rolling bearings are described. Characteristics of aerodynamic damping of the model with two positions of the rotation axis and Mach numbers $\mathrm{M}= 2, 4$ and $6$ are measured. Irregular oscillations of the model with a greater displacement of the rotation axis with respect to the longitudinal axis are found to arise at $\mathrm{M}= 2$.