Mon, Jun 09, 2008
New Measures To Dampen Oscillations Tested
Last week, a successful test firing of an Ariane 5 solid rocket
booster took place at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French
Guiana. The test was part of the Ariane 5 Research and Technology
Accompaniment (ARTA) Program.
The ARTA Program, part of ESA's Ariane 5 Development Program, is
responsible for verifying the stability of the qualification status
of the Ariane 5 launch system, checking the current production and
qualifying required modifications to the launcher design before
they enter service.
The main goal of this ARTA test was to verify the qualification
status of the current solid rocket booster production with respect
to potential manufacturing process drifts.
ESA notes some new modifications and materials upgrades were
also tested. Additionally, the test allowed the checking of some
modifications made to improve the booster behavior with respect to
critical points -- especially the reduction of pressure
oscillations. Those oscillations are a common bane of using solid
rocket boosters; as ANN has reported, NASA is
working to quell similar vibrations for its upcoming Ares
rockets.
The test was performed in the booster engine test stand (BEAP -
Banc d'Essais des Accelerateurs a Poudre), a test facility
specifically designed for MPS vertical testing and located at the
Guiana Space Centre (CSG - Centre Spatial Guyanais), Europe's
Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
During the 140-second test, the motor delivered a mean thrust of
approximately 600 tonnes. The booster was thoroughly instrumented
and around 560 parameters were recorded throughout the test to
monitor its performance and to provide the data required to
evaluate the different test objectives. Initial analysis of the
data confirms that performance was in line with predictions.
This was the fourth test of an SRB since the beginning of the
ARTA 5 Program, and the eleventh since the start of the Ariane 5
Development Program. The next SRB ARTA test is expected in about
two years from now.
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