A cost-effective component modes analysis for Shuttle payloads using a combination of frequency domain and time domain approaches

A combination of the time and frequency domains which employs the latter only where the former is inefficient or uncertain is used in Space Shuttle payloads' component mode analyses. Attention is given to the time histories at the launch vehicle/spacecraft interface. The frequency domain allows interface acceleration to be determined without recourse to a new, merged system eigenvalue solution and subsequent 'system modal' responses. The approach has been employed in Galileo spacecraft loads analyses.