Correlation Study of SWOT Payload Acoustic Prediction and Test

Spacecraft and its payload structures are subject to severe acoustic loading during launch and ascension through the atmosphere. These harsh acoustic environments can potentially damage mission critical components and jeopardize mission success. It is well-known that high-quality vibro-acoustic predictions are vital to achieve the optimal spacecraft and payload structure designs with reduced weight. It is also widely recognized that the well-established knowledge base of damping loss factor of the structure is one of the key elements to accurately characterize and predict the structural dynamic responses under acoustic excitations. This paper focuses on assessing the influences of damping loss factor to the correlation errors between the coupled finite element/boundary element method vibro-acoustic analysis predictions and acoustic reverberation chamber test data of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission Payload. The current work also aims at addressing the identification of the major sources of discrepancies, and exploration of development on the improved modal damping distribution for vibro-acoustic analysis.

Recommended citation: Lin, L., Castel, A., Kissil, A., Wang, G., and Gardner, B. (2023). "Correlation Study of SWOT Payload Acoustic Prediction and Test." AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum. AIAA 2023-1520
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