Vibro-Acoustics and the Application of Statistical Energy Analysis

Concern over the vibroacoustic environment within manned space platforms has been raised by astronauts on recent Spacelab missions. As a result, hardware being designed for the International Space Station is being subjected to stricter acoustic requirements and waivers allowing noise levels above the specified levels will be extremely difficult to obtain.

The Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) is developing Life Sciences hardware for the Space Station and is sensitive to the need for well defined requirements and allocations for acoustic noise. Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is being used to develop acoustic models of the main system hardware including sources, transmission paths and dissipation paths to ensure that acoustic requirements and allocations are adequate and consistent with hardware capabilities.

Preliminary SEA models have been developed to predict the noise levels within the working volume of the Centrifuge Accommodation Module on Space Station. Requirements for the systems within the module can be allocated based on these predictions.

As the hardware designs mature, these preliminary models will be modified as applicable to ensure that the designs incorporate any needed noise abatement techniques. The modeling technique used can also be used to predict the effect of these noise abatement techniques.