Date

3-2012

Degree Name

BS in Aerospace Engineering

Department

Aerospace Engineering Department

Advisor(s)

Andy Pokk (NGAS), Eric Mehiel

Abstract

This report discusses the purpose and effect of environmental testing, particularly vibration, shock and acoustic tests, in the aerospace industry. Vibration, shock, and acoustic testing are methods that are used to quantify and analyze the physical phenomenon of the launch environment on a payload or launch vehicle. The importance of innovation in testing and understanding of failures is crucial to a successful spacecraft mission. The advancement and precision of these testing methods is also explored in this report such as the invention of the 6 Degree of Freedom (DoF) vibration table and solutions to data acquisition issues recently discovered in the industry. A detailed overview of how standards particularly MIL- STD-810 have provided uniformity in the industry will also be discussed.