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Dynamic Testing of an Inflatable Structure Under Thermal Vacuum ConditionsThe Marshall Space Flight Center's Space Transportation Programs Office is responsible for the development and demonstration of advanced launch vehicle and propulsion technologies. One of these advanced propulsion concepts being pursued is solar thermal propulsion. This concept employs a concentrated beam of sunlight to heat a working fluid within a solar thermal engine. Expansion of the fluid would provide thrust at an increased specific impulse. One way to concentrate the sun's light to a specific point in the engine cavity is to use a fresnel lens that is supported by an inflatable structure. Such propulsion systems could provide an inexpensive way of transferring and maintaining satellites to upper stage orbit trajectories. This paper describes the test hardware, procedures, and non-contacting measurement methodologies used to determine the modal characteristics of an inflatable concentrator under the thermal-vacuum conditions of space. These characteristics were necessary to identify for validation of a finite element model to be used for developing the spacecraft's pointing and control system.
Document ID
19990041156
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Engberg, Robert
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Lassiter, John
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1999
Subject Category
Engineering (General)
Report/Patent Number
AIAA Paper 99-1519
Meeting Information
Meeting: Structures, Structural Dyanmics and Materials
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Country: United States
Start Date: April 12, 1999
End Date: April 15, 1999
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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