NASA streamlines shock and vibration analysis for spacecraft and rockets

NASA engineers at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida have streamlined how they ensure spacecraft and rockets can withstand harsh vibration, shock, stress and other physical forces. The agency announced that engineers in the Dynamic Environments Group with the Launch Services Program Office developed a standardized modeling workflow for finite element modeling using a commercial digital software tool in a new way.

The team recently used the software for the first time while certifying a commercial launch provider's rocket selected for a NASA mission. The commercial partner provided vibration testing but not shock testing. The Dynamic Environments Group determined shock testing was needed and used a template the group created to run what-if comparisons, visualize structural behavior and verify the company's testing results for flight environments.

Brian Beaver, chief of the Flight Analysis Division with the Launch Services Program Office, said the computer-based method helps predict how rockets and spacecraft behave under extreme conditions before hardware is built and helps identify weak spots and potential failure risks early so the team can address the findings.

Alex Hardt, aerospace engineer with the Launch Services Program Office, said they are using a tool that has existed for decades but it is not normally used by the dynamic environments disciplines. Hardt said the software has already provided valuable insight into verifying a provider's system and has saved months by allowing the team to run analysis independently.

Finite element analysis breaks a complex structure into smaller components so computers can accurately predict how a spacecraft or rocket could respond to specific forces or launch environments. The agency said issues can be addressed on the ground since most problems cannot be repaired or corrected once the rocket leaves the launch pad.