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Protecting flight hardware during spacecraft vibration testing through greater understanding of the CONTRL systems ability to control input and limit responses
| Author | Conkey, Shelly; Schaefer, Ed; Persons, David; |
| Keywords | Ability testing; Environmental testing; Software testing; Spacecraft; Vibration analysis; Vibration control; Parker Engineering |
| Abstract | Spacecraft level vibration testing exposes the as-built spacecraft, in its flight configuration, to the low frequency (<100 Hz) dynamic environment experienced during launch with the primary objective of verifying structural integrity and system performance. This test requires as flight-like of a configuration as possible and is therefore typically one of the last tests performed in the spacecraft verification program. At this level of integration (spacecraft), failures pose a much greater risk to the program than at lower levels (component/subsystem). As a result, significant attention must be given to controlling spacecraft vibration tests to ensure that the threat of over-test is minimized. Characterization of the vibration control system in the Environmental Test Facility (ETF) at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab was performed to understand its ability to control sine vibration testing to various response limit scenarios. Spacecraft-like test articles were used to examine the controller overshoot on response limited channels, the use of force sensors to limit force sums and overturning moments, limiting multiple channels simultaneously, advanced limiting, and limiting to the RSS of a tri-axial accelerometer. This testing allowed for the generation of ETF vibration control system lessons learned and response limiting rules of thumb. These lessons learned and rules of thumb were used in support of the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) flight Thermal Protection System (TPS) and flight Spacecraft sine vibration testing to allow for better control of the tests and to protect against exposure to responses that exceed the design capability of the hardware. Copyright © 2018 The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC |
| Year of Publication | 2018 |
| Journal | 30th Space Simulation Conference: Mission Success Through Testing of Critical Challenges |
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| Number of Pages | APL; ASTM; CSA; IEST; NASA - |
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