Trajectory analysis.

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§ 417.207 Trajectory analysis.

(a) General. A flight safety analysis must include a trajectory analysis that establishes:

(1) For any time after lift-off, the limits of a launch vehicle's normal flight, as defined by the nominal trajectory and potential three-sigma trajectory dispersions about the nominal trajectory.

(2) A fuel exhaustion trajectory that produces instantaneous impact points with the greatest range for any given time after liftoff for any stage that has the potential to impact the Earth and does not burn to propellant depletion before a programmed thrust termination.

(3) For launch vehicles flown with a flight safety system, a straight-up trajectory for any time after lift-off until the straight-up time that would result if the launch vehicle malfunctioned and flew in a vertical or near vertical direction above the launch point.

(b) Trajectory model. A final trajectory analysis must use a six-degree of freedom trajectory model to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Wind effects. A trajectory analysis must account for all wind effects, including profiles of winds that are no less severe than the worst wind conditions under which flight might be attempted, and must account for uncertainty in the wind conditions.


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