News | < 1 minute Reading Time | 2017-11-09

Test Like You Fly, Fly Like You Test

When building a rocket there is a whole flight certification process, and qualification is an important part of that. It proves the hardware meets the requirements and performs the way it is designed to do. Of all parts of a rocket, the engine section is perhaps the most critical during launch. The weight of the massive rocket is pushing down, while the engines are pushing up with millions of pounds of thrust. Whether it is an engine for experimental rockets or for commercial spaceflight, adequate testing is critical to the success of each launch program.

Engine testing is done in the same way and for the same duration that will be needed during an actual launch. The idea is to replicate as close as possible how the engine will be used on a space mission. That is why there is a saying in the rocket business: “Test Like You Fly, Fly Like You Test”.

Because of the cost and risk associated with developing and testing an engine, a reliable test setup is vital. Maintaining system consistency and accuracy in a harsh environment is putting stringent requirements on the data acquisition equipment. DAQ systems must be able to record, display and process up to 2000 different parameters, varying from pressures, flow rates, vibrations and temperatures. Real-time sample rates may vary form 10 Hz to several kHz. The Q.series’s accuracy, flexibility and reliability makes it the data acquisition system of choice for world’s leading engine manufacturers and engine testing facilities.

Please read the full article on our measurement solution for rocket engine testing on page 76 in the Aerospace Testing International Showcase 2018.

Tips & Trends

6 Tips for Stress-free Strain Measurement during Fatigue Testing of Aircraft Structures

Strain is the single most important measurement during aircraft fatigue testing. The accuracy and precision of strain gauge measurements is of the greatest importance to exactly determine the durability and damage tolerance of a structure. The higher a structure is in the ‘pyramid of test’, the higher the test complexity, number of measurement channels, and data produced. On top of that the risk in terms of time delay and cost associated to a test program increases more than proportional with the increase in test complexity. Here are six tips to help you choose the right data acquisition system for your fatigue test:

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Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator

After 9 years in construction, the stellarator (nuclear-fusion machine) of the Max Planck Institute in Greifswald generated plasma for the first time on December 10, 2015. The reactor had been gradually ramped up over the past 12 months. The event was given extensive coverage in the media. Gantner Instruments specially developed sensors for temperature and strain measurement for the project, which are otherwise unavailable on the market.

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Test Measurement DAQ for SEDS sponsored by Gantner Instruments

Gantner Instruments, Inc. is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the SEDS-Students for the Exploration and Development of Space-organization at the University of California San Diego. Gantner Instruments provided the data acquisition system required for their Colossus Static Fire System Test Stand. This full test system is complete with Gantner’s Q.station PLC controller, precision DAQ modules for TC, Voltage, Current, Resistance and Pt100.