click on the image for a larger version There has probably never been a discussion on ACW that has aroused as much animated technical discussion as the thrust vector control (TVC) for Sejil. This is almost entirely due to the troubling ambiguity of two cables/tubes that run down the lower half of the first stage. …
Qian Xuesen (1911-2009)
by | 2009-11-02 | 2 Comments
Update | 12:42 November 3, 2009 As if on cue, Michael Wines in the New York Times ledes Qian’s obituary with the grossly inaccurate statement that Qian “single-handedly led China’s space and military rocketry efforts.” No, he didn’t. Not single-handedly, at least. Qian Xuesen — often called the “father of China’s space and missile programs” …
Name That Missile
by | 2009-11-01 | 10 Comments
From the 2010 wall calendar, “Scenic Missile Tests of Iran.” (Just kidding.) Confusion surrounds the names used for ballistic missiles in Iran, where designators seem to come and go unpredictably. But a just smidgen of linguistic information may clarify the picture. Let’s review. So far, Iran has launched or flight-tested the following types: a family …
Kavoshgar Protuberance
by | 2009-10-31 | 12 Comments
Much has been said about the various nosecones Iran uses on its missiles. In particular, the tri-conic or baby bottle nose cone of the Kavoshgar and Ghadr is one of the primary ways of distinguishing the various Shahab-3 variants. That’s why it’s somewhat surprising to me that no one has commented (at least as far …
