The Application of Viscoelastic Passive Damping to Satellite Equipment Support Structures

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an ongoing study to investigate the use of viscoelastic passive damping technology to decrease the vibroacoustic response of avionics equipment in typical satellite systems. The Inertial Upper Stage, which is subjected to the severe launch vibroacoustic environment of the Space Shuttle and Titan launch vehicles, was selected as the baseline satellite system for this study. The design and analysis of damping treatments were first carried out on a component test structure using finite element analysis and the modal strain energy method. A series of modal survey and acoustic tests on the test structure were performed to validate the analytical procedures and evaluate the effectiveness of the designed damping treatments. The selection and characterization of viscoelastic materials with respect to their performance in space is also discussed.