Acoustic and Random Vibration Test Tailoring for Low-Cost Missions

摘要

Acoustic noise and random vibration tests are key constituents of an effective spacecraft environmental qualification program. Current test programs generally involve performing random vibration and possibly acoustic testing at the component level, followed by both acoustic and random vibration trials at the spacecraft level. Depending upon the surface area, mass and geometry of the test object, the acoustic environment may be more severe than random, or vice versa. Thus, for a low-cost mission, it may be cost-effective to eliminate one of the two tests at the component level, and to perform only the test that is most effective in screening for failure modes. This paper describes a method for optimizing acoustic and random vibration trials to reduce cost and schedule, by calculating a test article response in each environment and comparing the relative response magnitudes. Implementation of the method at the spacecraft level is also discussed.