The DIGIT checked for durability the Russian equipment for researches at the ISS

RSC Energia of S.P. Korolyov, the developer of a full range of the rocket and space equipment, acted as the customer of development of the equipment for radio engineering monitoring of space basing for the Russian segment of the ISS. Scientific Research Institute STT (Smolensk) is engaged in equipment design, and engineering calculations of durability were executed by specialists of the Center of engineering and physical calculations and the analysis (DIGIT) of St. Petersburg. On July 19, 2018 reported about it in TsIFRA company.

Tasks

The equipment is going to be used for data acquisition about a status and dynamics of objects and areas of the globe in global and regional scales, irrespective of weather conditions and time of day.

Requirements to the equipment

In the course of an output to an orbit as a part of the satellite and also when functioning in an orbit as a part of the ISS, the equipment is exposed to different mechanical and heat loads. For correct work the equipment should maintain significant vibrations with the broad range of frequencies, permanent and shock overloads. At design of the equipment it is necessary to consider all possible influencing factors, otherwise it can fail even until achievement of an orbit and arrival at the ISS. Similar situations involve huge finance and temporary costs on redesign and restart. The cost of start of one satellite exceeds the amount of 1 billion rubles, specified in TsIFRA company.

The equipment for radio engineering monitoring of space basing for the Russian segment of the ISS

Work progress

Engineers of "The center of engineering and physical calculations and the analysis" checked compliance of the equipment to requirements for the modes of mechanical loading. The equipment should save mechanical integrity and working capacity after influence of mechanical loadings at all operational phases and in the conditions of orbital flight as a part of the ISS.

The considered modes of mechanical loading include:

• quasistatic overloads;
• low-frequency dynamic accelerations;
• harmonious vibration;
• broadband accidental vibration;
• shock and pulse loading;
• acoustic influence.

Calculations were carried out for all cases of loads of the equipment of radio engineering monitoring of space basing — land operation, removal into an orbit in a cargo compartment of the transport Progress freighter, orbital flight as a part of the module ISS. It is also considered that the equipment should maintain loading from inadvertent influence of the astronaut.

Solution for calculations

Calculations were executed by the finite-element method using the universal Ansys software product. This method allows to consider all parts of the equipment and feature of loading and to receive reliable result, noted in "The center of engineering and physical calculations and analysis". For solving of tasks multiprocessor settlement stations from 64 GB of RAM were used.

Results

According to the results of all works the Russian equipment underwent testing successfully and prepares for production with the subsequent transportation in the Russian segment of the ISS for accomplishment of the long-term program of scientific application studies and experiments. In particular, the similar systems are applied to studying of natural resources of Earth and environmental monitoring, specified in the company. The radio engineering systems of space basing use for observation of the World Ocean, determination of maintenance of a carbon dioxide gas and methane in the atmosphere, studying of terrestrial covers by superhigh-frequency radiometric methods, researches of an ice cover in the Arctic.