Payload Fairing Foam Blankets

A spacecraft at launch is subjected to a harsh acoustic and vibration environment resulting from the passage of acoustic energy, created during the liftoff of a launch vehicle, through the vehicle’s payload fairing. In order to ensure the mission success of the spacecraft it is… Read more

Spacecraft On-orbit Vibration

Introduction Spacecraft must withstand vibration from pre-launch transportation and from powered flight.  The spacecraft is not powered during these events. In addition, a spacecraft must withstand “microvibration” or “jitter” from its own moving parts once it reaches orbit and becomes operational.   This vibration is… Read more

Mobile Launch Platform Vibration

The Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) is a two-story structure used by NASA to support the Space Shuttle stack during its transportation from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. It also serves as the vehicle’s launch platform. A… Read more

Acoustic-Structural Interaction

Preliminary notes for acoustic waves: c = speed of sound f = frequency k = wavenumber lambda = wavelength r = radius wavelength is equal to the speed of sound divided by frequency lambda = c / f wavenumber is equal to two pi divided… Read more

Engineering Employment Links

Here are  links, with an emphasis on aerospace careers. Huntsville, Alabama http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/new_exp/crp/companies/alphabetical_list.html http://www.huntsvillespaceprofessionals.com/ http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/msfc.htm http://www.asmartplace.com/getsmart/work_findajob.html http://www.al.com/jobs/ Elsewhere http://www.usajobs.gov/ https://jobs-orbital.icims.com/jobs/intro?hashed=0 http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Careers.shtml http://www.aerojet.com/careers/ http://www.jhuapl.edu/employment/default.asp http://www.ata-engineering.com/careers http://www.spacex.com/careers.php http://www.blueorigin.com/careers/careers.html http://www.sdl.usu.edu/employment/ www.navyjobs.com http://www.aerospacetestingalliance.com/ Tom Irvine