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Investigation of Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint (uPSP) and a Dynamic Loads Balance to Predict Launch Vehicle Buffet EnvironmentsThis NESC assessment examined the accuracy of estimating buffet loads on in-line launch vehicles without booster attachments using sparse unsteady pressure measurements. The buffet loads computed using sparse sensor data were compared with estimates derived using measurements with much higher spatial resolution. The current method for estimating launch vehicle buffet loads is through wind tunnel testing of models with approximately 400 unsteady pressure transducers. Even with this relatively large number of sensors, the coverage can be insufficient to provide reliable integrated unsteady loads on vehicles. In general, sparse sensor spacing requires the use of coherence-length-based corrections in the azimuthal and axial directions to integrate the unsteady pressures and obtain reasonable estimates of the buffet loads. Coherence corrections have been used to estimate buffet loads for a variety of launch vehicles with the assumption methodology results in reasonably conservative loads. For the Space Launch System (SLS), the first estimates of buffet loads exceeded the limits of the vehicle structure, so additional tests with higher sensor density were conducted to better define the buffet loads and possibly avoid expensive modifications to the vehicle design. Without the additional tests and improvements to the coherence-length analysis methods, there would have been significant impacts to the vehicle weight, cost, and schedule. If the load estimates turn out to be too low, there is significant risk of structural failure of the vehicle. This assessment used a combination of unsteady pressure-sensitive paint (uPSP), unsteady pressure transducers, and a dynamic force and moment balance to investigate the integration schemes used with limited unsteady pressure data by comparing them with direct integration of extremely dense fluctuating pressure measurements. An outfall of the assessment was to evaluate the potential of using the emerging uPSP technique in a production test environment for future launch vehicles. The results show that modifications to the current technique can improve the accuracy of buffet estimates. More importantly, the uPSP worked remarkably well and, with improvements to the frequency response, sensitivity, and productivity, will provide an enhanced method for measuring wind tunnel buffet forcing functions (BFFs).
Document ID
20160014849
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Schuster, David M. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Panda, Jayanta (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Ross, James C. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Roozeboom, Nettie H. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Burnside, Nathan J. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Ngo, Christina L. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Kumagai, Hiro (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Sellers, Marvin (Aerospace Testing Alliance Arnold AFB, TN, United States)
Powell, Jessica M. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Sekula, Martin K. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Piatak, David J. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
December 22, 2016
Publication Date
November 1, 2016
Subject Category
Space Transportation And Safety
Report/Patent Number
NASA/TM-2016-219352
NESC-RP-14-00962
L-20771
NF1676L-26054
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 869021.05.07.09.60
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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