Session: 01-05-01: Congress-Wide Symposium on NDE & SHM: Computational Nondestructive Evaluation and Structural Health Monitoring

Paper Number: 145089

145089 - Development and Modeling of a Structural Health Monitoring Payload for Low Earth Orbit Experiment 

 

This contribution discusses aspects of mechanical design, fabrication, and modeling of a payload that supports Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). As the space industry becomes more commercialized, the need for safe and long lasting space assets has increased exponentially. Implementation of SHM to space structures has considerable potential to improve safety of operation, and controllability of spacecraft. In order to better understand the effects of the space environment on space structures, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) is sending a payload to the ISS to collect data representing the effects of the space environment on SHM methodology and hardware. This is an active payload designed to house several SHM experiments. SHM experiments include guided wave propagation in a metallic structure, monitoring of an imitated crack, assessment of a bolted joint, investigation of structural vibration via electromechanical impedance method, and acoustic emission monitoring. In addition, piezoelectric sensor self-assessment is realized using the impedance diagnostics.

The payload fits the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) module specifications and is designed to operate in LEO under vacuum, volatile orbital thermal cycles, and background radiation. In order to simulate the effects of the environment on the payload, two finite element models are performed for thermal analysis: an orbital heating model, and a quarter cycle heat distribution model. The orbital heating model predicts the external thermal loads on the payload at any point in an orbit, including solar radiation, albedo, radiation from the earth, and radiation to deep space. The quarter cycle model predicts the internal thermal loads as the payload travels from shade to sun and predicts the temperature at critical locations such as . The payload experimental data will serve as a baseline for environmental conditions and will aid design and modeling of future SHM systems. Measures to protect SHM systems are discussed. Predictive models and calculations of payload thermal performance obtained in laboratory tests are presented and discussed in light of expected variations due to the LEO environment.

 

Presenting Author: Andrei Zagrai New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Presenting Author Biography: Professor of Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

Authors:

Gage Ellis New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
William Fawcett New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Chrstopher Garcia New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Dylan Tapia New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Andrei Zagrai New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology