THE STAND-ALONE PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICE, A DIGITAL MEMORY TELEMETER FOR ASSESSING SHUTTLE STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS
Affiliation
Honeywell Systems and Research CenterIssue Date
1989-11
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Copyright © International Foundation for TelemeteringCollection Information
Proceedings from the International Telemetering Conference are made available by the International Foundation for Telemetering and the University of Arizona Libraries. Visit http://www.telemetry.org/index.php/contact-us if you have questions about items in this collection.Abstract
Honeywell, under contract from NASA Johnson Space Center and Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company, has developed a new tool for instrumentation data collection. The Stand-Alone Pressure Measurement Device (SAPMD) is part of a family of microminiature data recorders combined with sensors that can be be used as flight development instrumentation on aerospace vehicles and structures. NASA came to Honeywell with a need to collect absolute pressure data during ascent of the Shuttle on various points over the orbiter’s surface. Instrumentation for this data does not exist on current orbiters, and NASA must use computer modeling to determine structural loading calculations. The conventional approach of placing sensors and cabling inside the Shuttle’s frame combined with drilling holes for the pressure sensors was considered too costly and could weaken the orbiter’s structure. The SAPMD measures pressure at various locations on the space shuttle orbiter skin during ascent. In order to avoid the extensive impacts associated with wiring new measurements into the orbiter data system, the device is self contained, incorporating its own sensor, power supply, self-starting sensor, nonvolatile memory for sensor data, and a real-time clock for time reference. The device is small enough (6.28 in x 1.5 in. x 0.5 in.) to be mounted under the thermal protection system tiles and rugged enough to withstand the environments encountered at the interface between tiles throughout an orbiter mission. Data recorded during ascent is recovered after the mission without removing the device. Other sensors such as strain gauges for structural monitoring, vibration gauges for wing flutter, or differential pressure gauges can be used with this hardware.Sponsors
International Foundation for TelemeteringISSN
0884-51230074-9079