The short version
- NASA engineers developed a standardized digital workflow for finite element modeling to improve shock and vibration analysis for launch vehicles.
- The new method allows teams to identify potential structural weaknesses and failure risks before hardware is built, saving months of work.
- This approach replaces reliance on historical data approximations with detailed simulations that visualize complex dynamic forces during ascent.
Rockets undergo intense physical stress as they climb into orbit, subjecting delicate scientific instruments to severe vibration, shock, and flexing. To ensure these payloads survive the journey, NASA engineers must predict how such forces will impact every component before a vehicle ever leaves the ground. A team within the Dynamic Environments Group at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida has recently streamlined this critical safety process by adopting a standardized modeling workflow for finite element analysis.
The new approach utilizes commercial digital software in a novel way to strengthen shock and vibration assessments. By creating a standard template, engineers can now more thoroughly guide themselves through complex vibration profiles and shock conditions. This shift moves the agency away from older practices that relied heavily on engineering judgment, rules of thumb, or scaling data from previous missions. While those historical approximations were functional, they lacked the precision of modern simulation techniques.
Finite element analysis breaks down complex structures into smaller components, allowing computers to accurately predict how a spacecraft or rocket will respond to specific launch environments. This capability is vital because issues identified on the ground can be repaired, whereas problems that emerge after liftoff are generally impossible to correct. Early identification of weak spots and potential failure risks allows teams to address findings before hardware is finalized.
The team recently applied this software for the first time while certifying a commercial launch provider’s rocket selected for a NASA mission. The commercial partner had provided vibration testing data but lacked shock testing results. Using the new template, the Dynamic Environments Group determined that shock testing was necessary and ran what-if comparisons to visualize structural behavior. This allowed them to answer complex questions that would have required extensive manual modeling in the past.
The analysis verified the company’s testing results for flight environments and provided new insights regarding shock during transport. Brian Beaver, chief of the Flight Analysis Division with the Launch Services Program Office, noted that this computer-based method helps predict behavior under extreme conditions before hardware is built. It enables the team to identify risks early, thereby strengthening overall mission safety.
Alex Hardt, an aerospace engineer with the program office, explained that while the software tool has existed for decades, it was not typically used by dynamic environments disciplines. The team is now changing that practice by applying it in a relatively new area of dynamics. Because most engineers in this field use finite element modeling tools infrequently, they often need to re-learn complex workflows. The new standard template guides them more quickly and thoroughly through the necessary steps.
This workflow has already saved months of work by allowing the team to run analysis independently. Previously, engineers had to request and wait for analysis reports or data from other parties. The ability to visualize non-intuitive dynamics problems also highlights the software’s impact on learning and efficiency. It helps engineers share knowledge, refine assessments with additional flight data, and increase their proficiency with modeling tools.
The Launch Services Program Office is responsible for launching rockets that deliver spacecraft observing Earth, visiting other planets, and exploring the universe. These missions range from weather satellites to space telescopes and Mars rovers. The team continues to adopt new tools like this finite element modeling workflow to give the agency the highest practical chance of success for each mission. By defining severe random vibration and shock levels, they verify that all parts have been tested to those standards, maximizing hardware longevity.
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- NASA↗NASA Improves Shock, Vibration Analysis
