THE MINIMIZATION OF VIBRATION-INDUCED DAMAGE HAS BECOME A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR ROCKET LAUNCH GROUND SUPPORT E…

Public award description

THE MINIMIZATION OF VIBRATION-INDUCED DAMAGE HAS BECOME A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR ROCKET LAUNCH GROUND SUPPORT ELECTRONICS (GSE). GSE LOCATED NEAR A MAJOR ROCKET LAUNCH CAN BE EXPOSED TO DAMAGING ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDING HEAT, ROCKET PLUME IMPINGEMENT, VIBRATION AND ACOUSTICS. THIS EXTREME VIBRATORY ENVIRONMENT RESULTS IN THE NEED FOR EXTENSIVE CHECK OUT AND FREQUENT REPAIRS OF GSE SYSTEMS AFTER EACH LAUNCH. ANOTHER CONSEQUENCE IS THE NEED FOR EXTENSIVE DESIGN AND QUALIFICATION TESTING TO ENSURE EQUIPMENT SURVIVABILITY. PASSIVE GSE VIBRATION ISOLATION SYSTEMS OFTEN HAVE NATURAL RESONANCES WITHIN THE BROAD EXCITATION SPECTRUM RESULTING IN POOR EQUIPMENT PROTECTION. ADDITIONALLY PASSIVE ISOLATION SYSTEMS CAN ONLY BE TUNED FOR ONE EXCITATION TYPE (AMPLITUDE / FREQUENCY) AND ONE GSE RACK ARRANGEMENT. IF THE EXPECTED VIBRATION SPECTRUM CHANGES THE PASSIVE ISOLATION SYSTEM IS NO LONGER OPTIMIZED AND REQUIRES REDESIGN. FURTHERMORE IF THE INERTIAL PROPERTIES OF THE GSE RACK ITSELF CHANGES (RACK OR DRAWER IS REPLACED OR REARRANGED) THE PASSIVE ISOLATION SYSTEM WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION PROPERLY WHICH MAY LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.