NASA Engineers Standardize Modeling Workflow to Improve Rocket Shock and Vibration Analysis

According to NASA News Releases, rockets experience intense vibration, shaking, and flexing as they ascend into space, necessitating that spacecraft carrying sensitive scientific instruments survive these forces. NASA engineers at the Kennedy Space Center, specifically within the Dynamic Environments Group of the Launch Services Program Office, have streamlined the process for ensuring spacecraft and rockets can withstand various physical stresses, thereby boosting mission safety.

These engineers created a standardized modeling workflow for finite element modeling by utilizing a commercial digital software tool in a novel manner. This approach strengthens the analysis of shock and vibration, ensuring that hardware is prepared for the extreme conditions encountered during launch and ascent. Brian Beaver, chief of the Flight Analysis Division with the Launch Services Program Office at NASA Kennedy, stated that this computer-based method assists in predicting how rockets and spacecraft will react under extreme circumstances before the hardware is constructed, allowing the team to identify potential failure risks and weak points early for resolution.

The Dynamic Environments Group recently employed this software for the first time while certifying a rocket from a commercial launch provider selected for a NASA mission. Since the commercial partner supplied vibration testing but not shock testing, the Dynamic Environments Group utilized a template they developed to conduct 'what-if' comparisons, visualize structural behavior, and address complex questions that previously demanded extensive manual modeling. The team subsequently verified the company’s testing outcomes for flight environments, and the analysis yielded new insights regarding shock experienced during transport.

Alex Hardt, an aerospace engineer with the Launch Services Program Office at NASA Kennedy, noted that while the tool has been in use for decades, it was not typically utilized by dynamic environments disciplines, but they are changing that by applying it in a relatively new area of dynamics. Hardt further explained that while rockets and spacecraft are designed to manage shocks and vibrations, these forces can lead to wear or potential flight failures, particularly during the launch and ascent phases. Hardt added that they define the severity of random vibration and shock levels and then confirm that all components on future rockets have been tested to those defined levels to maximize their operational lifespan.

Historically, engineers have estimated shock and vibration environments by relying on rules of thumb or by scaling data from prior missions to estimate the impact on each rocket component or spacecraft equipment after assembly and flight. Although this method functioned, it depended heavily on engineering judgment and simple approximations derived from past missions. Because dynamic environments engineers often use finite element modeling tools infrequently, they frequently need to relearn complex workflows. The software serves to replace older tools by offering a standard template that guides engineers more rapidly and thoroughly through shock conditions and vibration profiles.

Finite element analysis is described as a powerful simulation technique that divides a complex structure into smaller elements, enabling computers to accurately forecast how a rocket or spacecraft might respond to specific forces or launch environments. This capability is considered crucial because any issues can be resolved on the ground; once a rocket departs the launch pad, most problems cannot be fixed or corrected, making early identification essential. Hardt commented that the tool has provided valuable insight quickly when verifying a provider’s system, offering deep insight into something that typically requires significant effort.

Hardt also mentioned that the capacity to visualize non-intuitive dynamics problems using finite element models highlights the software's positive effect on learning, efficiency, and alignment with NASA’s people-focused culture. This workflow assists engineers in sharing knowledge, improving assessments with supplementary flight data, and increasing their skill with modeling tools. This capability has already saved months by permitting the team to conduct analysis independently without needing to request and await analysis reports or data, and by helping them identify risks that had not been previously considered. NASA’s Launch Services Program Office is tasked with launching rockets that deliver spacecraft for observing Earth, visiting other planets, and exploring the universe, ranging from weather satellites to space telescopes and Mars rovers. The team is continuously integrating new tools like this to maximize the agency's practical chance of mission success.