Modal evaluation of fluid volume in spacecraft propellant tanks

Autor/innen

  • Steven Mathe Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • KelliAnn Anderson Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • Amber Bakkum Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • Kevin Lubick Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • John Robinson Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • Danielle Weiland Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, USA
  • Rudy Werlink NASA Kennedy Space Center
  • Kevin M. Crosby Carthage College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17307/wsc.v0i0.46

Abstract

Propellant mass-gauging in unsettled (sloshing) fluids is an important and unsolved problem in spacecraft operations and mission design. In the present work, we demonstrate the efficacy of the experimental modal analysis technique in determining the volume of fluid present in model spacecraft propellant tanks undergoing significant sloshing. Using data acquired over approximately 37 minutes of time in zero-gravity conditions provided over two years of parabolic flights, we estimate the resolution of the technique at low tank fill-fractions where other mass-gauging techniques are known to fail. 

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Zitationsvorschlag

Mathe, S., Anderson, K., Bakkum, A., Lubick, K., Robinson, J., Weiland, D., … Crosby, K. M. (2012). Modal evaluation of fluid volume in spacecraft propellant tanks. Proceedings of the Wisconsin Space Conference. https://doi.org/10.17307/wsc.v0i0.46

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Rubrik

Physics and Engineering