Structural Dynamic Analysis in Rocket Propulsion and Launch Vehicles

Abstract

Structural dynamics is one of the critical disciplines for the successful design, development, and testing of space launch vehicles. It is applied from the smallest component (turbine blades), all the way to the entire vehicle, and has to be calculated for every phase of a mission, from ascent and orbit to landing. Successful application of structural dynamics requires extensive knowledge of Fourier techniques, linear algebra, random variables, finite element modeling, and essentials of SDOF and MDOF vibration theory. Working knowledge of fluid dynamics, statistics, and data analysis also extremely useful.