High-Bandwidth Motion Simulator (HBMS)

As the performance of missile technology evolves, simulation and test equipment must keep pace. Higher performance simulators that recreate impacts due to chemical thrusters and provide DC to 0.5-1KHz bandwidth are needed for guidance and control simulations of missile and anti-ballistic missile weapon systems. Hydraulic and Electric Flight Motion Simulators (FMS) are a mature technology used for hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Typically, simulators are limited by bandwidths of 20 to 60 Hz for limited ranges of angular travel. The simulators are considered useful for closed-loop representation of missile motion out to frequencies a factor of 3-5 less than the FMS bandwidth. SatCon will develop concepts for new, very high frequency motion simulators, with the goal of replicating sensor base motion of up to 1kHz with accelerations in the thousands of radians/second/second. One such concept SatCon proposes is new system architecture, based on a spherical motor. This concept allows for non-contacting support of a rotor with controlled and unlimited rotation in the roll, pitch and yaw axes and limited motion in the x, y and z axes. This new concept will be traded against conventional gimbal systems with lightweight structures and staged systems. Staged systems combine different actuators in series and/or parallel to meet demanding performance requirements, will also be evaluated. For example, Robertson et.al. have proposed mounting a Stewart platform on existing gimbaled systems SatCon will evaluate this option and possible improvements in the actuators and drives.