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Vibration Isolation on the Mobile Launch Platform
Vibration Isolation Systems are used on the Mobile Launch Platform to mitigate vibrations from the launch and protect important electronic equipment from damage.
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Vibration Isolation Systems are used on the Mobile Launch Platform to mitigate vibrations from the launch and protect important electronic equipment from damage.
The Metal Bellows Damper uses technology that was developed for NASA and built to meet the rigorous requirements of spaceflight but has since been adopted to protect structures here on Earth.
This paper describes the dynamic analysis of an isolator system for the cabinet-mounted low voltage power switchgear in the Space Shuttle Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The addition of electronic sensing and control components to this cabinet combined with the harsh vibration environment experienced during a Shuttle launch necessitated a six degree of freedom isolation system to prevent the spurious tripping of breakers. An added benefit of the isolation system is that it provides vibration isolation during the Shuttle’s approximately three mile journey between the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and either of its two launch pads. The isolation system was designed, built, and integrated within the MLP. Broadband dynamic measurements were made during an actual Shuttle launch to verify the effectiveness of the isolation system and to validate the predictions of the analysis. Measurements made during the launch of STS-115 on September 9, 2006, affirmed the effectiveness of the isolators and validated the predicted performance of the isolation system.
This hermetically sealed damper was developed during the 1980’s for use space platforms. NASA and the U.S. military had experienced difficulties over the years with all types of oil filled products in space. Conventional sliding surfaces that were sealed acceptably on earth proved unacceptable for spacecraft use. Even the tiniest amount of fluid seepage past conventional seals turns into a dense fog in a vacuum, contaminating optics and electronic systems. Taylor Devices’ solution was to develop a damper that uses a flexural seal – thus sealing by non-sliding methods. The seal itself was a so called metal bellows made by laser welding thin discs of stainless steel into a bellows configuration. This paper describes the design and construction of the Taylor Devices Hermetically Sealed Damper.
Selected Production history Taylor Devices dampers and energy dissipators for structural use.
Program Manager – Structural Products
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