Vibro-acoustic analysis of the Brazilian Vehicle Satellite Launcher (VLS) fairing

Resumo

During flight missions, space vehicles are subjected to a severe dynamic pressure loading when their rocket-propulsion systems are operated. This loading may be critical for the vehicle components, as well as for the payload such as satellites, which are usually very soft structures. The success of a satellite launching is determined, amongst other measures, by the satellite resistance to the fairing internal acoustic pressure. This paper describes a numerical analysis of the dynamic response of the mechanical structure and the fairing inner acoustic cavity of the Brazilian Vehicle Satellite Launcher (VLS). Finite Element (FE) and Boundary Element (BE) methods are used for the low-frequency analysis with emphasis on the vibro-acoustic coupling effects between the fairing structural vibrations and the inner cavity acoustic pressures. The high-frequency vibro-acoustic behaviour is analyzed using a Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) model.