Evaluation of acoustic testing techniques for spacecraft systems

External acoustic environments, structural responses, noise reductions, and the internal acoustic environments have been predicted for a typical shroud/spacecraft system during lift-off and various critical stages of flight. Spacecraft responses caused by energy transmission from the shroud via mechanical and acoustic paths have been compared and the importance of the mechanical path has been evaluated. Theoretical predictions have been compared extensively with available laboratory and in-flight measurements. Equivalent laboratory acoustic fields for simulation of shroud response during the various phases of flight have been derived and compared in detail. Techniques for varying the time-space correlations of laboratory acoustic fields have been examined, together with methods for varying the time and spatial distribution of acoustic amplitudes. Possible acoustic testing configurations for shroud/spacecraft systems have been suggested and trade-off considerations have been reviewed. The problem of simulating the acoustic environments versus simulating the structural responses has been considered and techniques for testing without the shroud installed have been discussed.