Pyroshock testing, also called pyrotechnic shock, may be required for test items, sub-systems, and full-scale systems that must withstand an explosive event, such as an explosive charge to separate two stages in a multi-stage rocket and the resulting high-frequency (thousands of Hertz, even as high as 1 MHz), high-magnitude stress waves that propagate throughout the structure. Pyroshock was once considered a relatively mild environment due to the low-velocity change and high-frequency content involved. Although pyroshock rarely damages structural members, pyroshock can easily cause failures in electronic test items that are sensitive to the high-frequency pyroshock energy. Since a significant number of flight failures have been attributed to pyroshock compared to other types of shock or vibration sources, the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST) has included pyroshock testing as one of its recommended practices. The existing IEST pyroshock practice is being reviewed and updated, and this editorial discusses some of the proposed changes.
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