Start Date

4-1976 8:00 AM

Description

During the early lift-off period of Space Shuttle vehicle (SSV) launch, i.e., the first 10 seconds of flight, the Shuttle's propulsion system's main engines (SSME's) and solid rocket boosters (SRB's) generate intense acoustic pressure fields. This intense pressure field excites various Shuttle structures, components, avionics, and sensitive payload hardware. SSV system elements, of course, must be designed and qualified to withstand the lift-off, ascent, and reentry acoustic environments. In order to minimize the Shuttle's lift-off acoustic design environments, a noise suppression model test program was initiated to examine techniques to reduce the Shuttle noise environments via modifications to the launch facility. This approach has been shown to be advantageous from the standpoint of mission operations, simplicity, payload capability, and particularly from the ecomonic aspect for the reusable orbiter. Particular emphasis has been given herein to the orbiter payload bay environments. This paper discusses the potential noise suppression techniques utilized in this recent test series. These techniques are the candidates for use with the full-scale Shuttle system during launch from Launch Complex 39 (LC 39) at Kennedy Space Center, the Eastern Test Range for NASA.

Comments

Shuttle/ Technical Problems

Session Chairman: D. Buchanan, Associate Director for Design, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

No other information or file available for this session.

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Apr 1st, 8:00 AM

Space Shuttle Noise Suppression Concepts for the Eastern Test Range

During the early lift-off period of Space Shuttle vehicle (SSV) launch, i.e., the first 10 seconds of flight, the Shuttle's propulsion system's main engines (SSME's) and solid rocket boosters (SRB's) generate intense acoustic pressure fields. This intense pressure field excites various Shuttle structures, components, avionics, and sensitive payload hardware. SSV system elements, of course, must be designed and qualified to withstand the lift-off, ascent, and reentry acoustic environments. In order to minimize the Shuttle's lift-off acoustic design environments, a noise suppression model test program was initiated to examine techniques to reduce the Shuttle noise environments via modifications to the launch facility. This approach has been shown to be advantageous from the standpoint of mission operations, simplicity, payload capability, and particularly from the ecomonic aspect for the reusable orbiter. Particular emphasis has been given herein to the orbiter payload bay environments. This paper discusses the potential noise suppression techniques utilized in this recent test series. These techniques are the candidates for use with the full-scale Shuttle system during launch from Launch Complex 39 (LC 39) at Kennedy Space Center, the Eastern Test Range for NASA.

 

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