Abstract
The present paper describes the two series of low-speed flight test using small-scaled vehicles designed as a preliminary configuration of a winged reusable sounding rocket HIMES. The vehicles released from a carrier helicopter were made of aluminum frame and fiber-reinforced plastics, and had an onboard processor for attitude control and radio guidance. The first series of flight test was conducted with two vehicles in 1986 to establish the test technique. Based on the results, the second series of test in 1987 was intended to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics and controllability in detail using three vehicles. These flight tests carried out with relatively simple test equipments and low-cost vehicles provided much practical data on the flight characteristics during gliding phase of flight of this type of vehicle.
