Launch Vehicle Fairing with Integral Vibroacoustic Attenuation

The proposed effort will demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating a launch vehicle payload fairing using a novel method for attenuating structural response to vibroacoustic loads. The proposed effort incorporates an innovative method of fabricatingcomposite structures and increasing the surface density of the skin panels without degrading launch vehicle performance. The attenuation method equals or betters the performance of conventional acoustic blankets in all frequency ranges, and isparticularly effective at frequencies below 500 Hz.Traditional payload fairing acoustic blankets are not effective at reducing acoustic levels under about 500 Hz. A new method of attenuation is proposed which will reduce these low-frequency launch loadswith minimal or no launch vehicle performance impact. The low mass impact of the attenuation method will improve launch vehicle performance and the more benign environments will allow a reduction in the cost to develop and qualify spacecraft. Thisattenuation concept is enabled by an innovative, low cost method for fabricating graphite composite payload fairing structures. The concept is applicable to all launch vehicle structures and large panels on spacecraft in addition to payload fairings.