The effectiveness and simplicity of passive mechanical attenuators of residual spacecraft disturbances has recently been highlighted through the proposal of a Pico Gravity Box (PGB)1 for small-force space experiments. Either alone or in combination with active systems, passive attenuators appear to be essential in providing a quiet environment for space experiments, particularly in the Space Station era. In this paper, the limitations of ideal mechanical suspensions are discussed and the effects of internal damping are investigated. It is concluded that internal damping allows one to eliminate the singularities at response frequencies which are typical of ideal oscillators, as well as providing very effective noise reduction. The problem of reducing noise along the rotational as well as translational degrees of freedom is also addressed.
THE PICO GRAVITY BOX - AN EFFICIENT PASSIVE NOISE ATTENUATOR IN SPACE
NOBILI, ANNA MARIA;
1992-01-01
Abstract
The effectiveness and simplicity of passive mechanical attenuators of residual spacecraft disturbances has recently been highlighted through the proposal of a Pico Gravity Box (PGB)1 for small-force space experiments. Either alone or in combination with active systems, passive attenuators appear to be essential in providing a quiet environment for space experiments, particularly in the Space Station era. In this paper, the limitations of ideal mechanical suspensions are discussed and the effects of internal damping are investigated. It is concluded that internal damping allows one to eliminate the singularities at response frequencies which are typical of ideal oscillators, as well as providing very effective noise reduction. The problem of reducing noise along the rotational as well as translational degrees of freedom is also addressed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
