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Vibration & Shock

Encyclopedia
Updated Feb 12, 2024

Contents

Introduction

Vibration and shock testing are crucial for designing and testing spaceflight hardware to ensure its resilience against the intense and dynamic conditions of launch and space travel. The Johnson Space Center’s Structures Test Facility can provide structural vibration and shock testing of spaceflight hardware to ensure structural integrity and functionality of spacecraft components to guarantee mission success. Explore the capabilities below, as we invite you to join us in the exciting journey of space exploration at the forefront of discovery. 

Capabilities

Structures Test Laboratory – Dynamic 

Overview | Structures Test Facility provides structural vibration and shock testing of spaceflight hardware to ensure that functionality is not impaired by severe launch and landing environments. 

Details |

Unholtz-Dickie T2000 Horizontal / Vertical 

  • Force rating (sine) = 25,000 lb. 
  • Force rating (random) = 23,000 lb.
  • Maximum useful frequency = 3 to 3000 Hz 
  • Maximum acceleration (bare armature) = 220 g vector (peak) 
  • Maximum Grms is approximately max Accel/3 = 73 Grms 
  • Rated Velocity = 80 in/sec (sine sweep) 180 in/sec (shock) 
  • Rated Displacement = 3.0 Inch peak-to-peak 

T2000H Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 1900 Lbs. 

T2000V Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 1900 Lbs. 

T2000 Slip Table surface: 53.5”x48” with a 43.75”x44” area with 2”x2” hole pattern 

T2000 Head Expander surface: 36”x36” with 2”x2” hole pattern 

Spectral Dynamics SD26400 

  • Force rating (sine) = 26,400 lb. 
  • Force rating (random) = 26,400 lb. 
  • Maximum useful frequency = 5 to 2400 Hz
  • Maximum acceleration (bare armature) = 100 g vector (peak) 
  • Maximum Grms is approximately max Accel/3 = 33 Grms (actual has generally been less, 23 Grms) 
  • Rated Velocity = 78.7 in/sec 
  • Rated Displacement = 2.5 Inch peak-to-peak 

26400H Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 1600Lbs 

26400V Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 1600Lbs 

26400H Slip Table surface: 47”x47” with a 44”x44” area with 2”x2” hole pattern 

26400V Head Expander surface: 48”x48” with a 46”x46” area with 2”x2” hole pattern 

4022H Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 1100Lbs 

4022V Payload (test article/test fixture): Approx. 2050Lbs 

4022H Slip Table surface: Overall 60”x60” with a 56”x56” area with 4”x4” hole pattern 

4022V Head Expander surface: Overall 54”x54” with a 48”x48” area with 2”x2” hole pattern 

Ling 4022 H/V –Horizontal / Vertical: 

  • Force rating (sine) = 40,000 lb. 
  • Force rating (random) = 34,000 lb. 
  • Maximum useful frequency = 5 to 2000 Hz 
  • Maximum acceleration (bare armature) = 100 g vector (peak)
  • Maximum Grms is approximately max Accel/3 = 33 Grms (actual has generally been less, 30Grms) 
  • Rated Velocity = 70 in/sec 
  • Rated Displacement = 1.5 Inch peak-to-peak 

Ling B335 Shaker System: 

  • Force rating = 18,000 lb. 
  • Maximum useful frequency = 5 to 3000 Hz 
  • Maximum acceleration (bare armature) = 150 g vector (peak) 
  • Maximum Grms is approximately max Accel/3 = 50 Grms (this has been achieved) 
  • Rated Velocity = 70 in/sec Rated Displacement = 1.0 Inch peak-to-peak 

335V (vertical only) Payload (test article/test fixture): 1500Lbs  

335V (vertical only) Head Expander surface: Overall 30”x30” with a 26”x26” area with 2”x2” hole pattern 

In a lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, engineers simulate conditions that astronauts in space suits would experience when the Orion spacecraft is vibrating during launch atop the agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket on its way to deep space destinations on Jan. 19, 2017. A series of tests occurring this month at Johnson will help human factors engineers assess how well the crew can interact with the displays and controls they will use to monitor Orion’s systems and operate the spacecraft when necessary…Test subjects wore modified advanced crew escape suits that are being developed for astronauts in Orion, and sat in the latest design of the seat atop the crew impact attenuation system. This was the first time this key hardware was brought together to evaluate how launch vibrations may impact the astronaut’s ability to view the displays and controls.
A preflight view of the Space Test Program-Houston 9-Neutron Radiation Detection Instrument (STP-H9-NeRDI) during vibration testing. Image courtesy of U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
An Orbital Maneuvering System engine is vibration tested at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 16, 2016, before shipment to the agency’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, where it will be fired to qualify the engine for use on Orion’s service module. The vibration testing will help ensure the engine can withstand the loads induced by launch on the agency’s Space Launch System rocket. This summer, another Orbital Maneuvering System engine will be tested at Johnson before it is supplied to ESA (European Space Agency) to integrate into Orion’s service module, which will power, propel and cool Orion in space, and also provide consumables like air and water for future crews. ..ESA and its contractor Airbus Defence and Space are providing the service module for Artemis I. This Orbital Maneuvering System engine was used on the space shuttle to provide the thrust for orbital insertion, orbit circularization, orbit transfer, rendezvous, deorbit and abort situations and flew on 31 shuttle flights. The engine flying on Artemis I flew on 19 space shuttle flights, beginning with STS-41G in October 1984 and ending with STS-112 in October 2002.

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