Pat Flannery wrote:
Derek Lyons wrote:

There can be attitude transients caused by hydrodynamic effects of the
passage through the water as well as the effects of breaking the
surface. ('Tail slap' as the missile exits is of particular concern.)
Polaris was acutely sensitive to this because of their need to perform
a roll maneuver immediately upon ignition.


I noticed when I went looking for Polaris launch photos that they seem
to exit the water at angles in quite a few cases.
The first Trident test at Cape Kennedy took off a quite an angle:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Im...rst_launch.jpg

That pictures seems to show a land launch from Launch Complex 25 at
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which might . . . I emphasize might
.. . . suggest that the initial non vertical climb is how the vehicle
is designed to perform . . . interesting *S*

Blue skies

John