The first test flight of NASA's Ares I crew launch vehicle, called Ares I-X, was launched on October 28, 2009. Ares I-X used a 4-segment reusable solid rocket booster from the Space Shuttle heritage with mass simulators for the 5th segment, upper stage, crew module and launch abort system. Flight test data will provide important information on ascent loads, vehicle control, separation, and first stage reentry dynamics. As part of hardware verification, a series of modal tests were designed to verify the dynamic finite element model (FEM) used in loads assessments and flight control evaluations. Based on flight control system studies, the critical modes were the first three free-free bending mode pairs. Since a test of the free-free vehicle was not practical within project constraints, modal tests for several configurations during vehicle stacking were defined to calibrate the FEM. Test configurations included two partial stacks and the full Ares I-X flight test vehicle on the Mobile Launcher Platform. This report describes the test requirements, constraints, pre-test analysis, test execution and results for the Ares I-X flight test vehicle modal test on the Mobile Launcher Platform. Initial comparisons between pre-test predictions and test data are also presented.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle Modal Test


    Contributors:
    R. D. Buehrle (author) / J. D. Templeton (author) / M. C. Reaves (author) / L. G. Horta (author) / J. L. Gaspar (author)

    Publication date :

    2010


    Size :

    94 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle Modal Test

    Buehrle, Ralph D. / Templeton, Justin D. / Reaves, Mercedes C. et al. | NTRS | 2010


    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle: Stack 5 Modal Test

    R. D. Buehrle / J. D. Templeton / M. C. Reaves et al. | NTIS | 2010


    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle: Stack 5 Modal Test

    Buehrle, Ralph D. / Templeton, Justin D. / Reaves, Mercedes C. et al. | NTRS | 2010


    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle:Stack 1 Modal Test

    Buehrle, Ralph D. / Templeton, Justin D. / Reaves, Mercedes C. et al. | NTRS | 2010


    Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle:Stack 1 Modal Test

    R. D. Buehrle / J. D. Templeton / M. C. Reaves et al. | NTIS | 2010