Roll


In aerospace engineering, 'Roll' refers to the rotational movement of an aircraft or spacecraft around its longitudinal axis, which runs from the nose to the tail of the vehicle. This movement is controlled by the ailerons, which are small hinged sections on the outboard portion of a wing. Ailerons move in opposite directions - when one goes up, the other goes down. The upward moving aileron reduces lift on that wing and the downward moving aileron increases lift on the other wing, causing the aircraft to roll. In spacecraft, roll is controlled by reaction wheels or thrusters. The roll motion is used to change the direction of the vehicle's lift without changing its orientation. It is one of the three axes of rotation in flight dynamics, the other two being pitch and yaw. Understanding and controlling roll is crucial in the design and operation of aircraft and spacecraft, as it directly impacts stability and control.


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