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Reliability Improvements in Liquid Rocket Engine InstrumentationInstrumentation hardware is often the weak link in advanced liquid fueled propulsion systems. The development of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) was no exception. By sheer necessity, a reusable, high energy, low weight engine system often relegates the instrumentation hardware to the backseat in the critical hardware development process. This produces less than optimum hardware constraints; including size, location, mounting, redundancy, and signal conditioning. This can negatively affect the development effort and ultimately the system reliability. The challenge was clear, however, the outcome was less certain. Unfortunately, the SSME hardware development culminated in series of measurement failures, most significant of which was the premature engine shutdown during the launch of STS-51F on July 29, 1985. The Return to Flight activities following the Challenger disaster redoubled our efforts to eliminate, once and for all, sensor malfunctions as the determining factor in overall engine reliability. This paper describes each phase of this effort in detail and includes discussion of the tasks related to improving measurement reliability.
Document ID
20050206347
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hill, A.
(Boeing Aerospace Co. United States)
Acosta, E.
(Boeing Aerospace Co. United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2005
Subject Category
Spacecraft Instrumentation And Astrionics
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA Conference
Location: Tucson, AZ
Country: United States
Start Date: July 10, 2005
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS8-01140
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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