Daniel C. Kammer (26K JPG)

The U.S. Space Shuttle will be making many more flights to the Russian space station Mir than originally anticipated. Consequently, NASA officials are concerned about how the repeated dockings are affecting the life expectancy of various Mir components, especially the docking mechanism and the interface between the shuttle and the station.

That's where Engineering Physics Associate Professor Daniel C. Kammer comes in. He has been contracted by NASA to conduct a "health identification analysis" using inverse system identification techniques he developed. Kammer will estimate structural responses at discrete points on the Mir station based on measurements taken elsewhere on the station. Simulations for the study will be conducted on a finite element model of the Mir station, and compared to data taken from 25 sensors on the actual station during a docking event.

"The fact that the main structural components of Mir are over-designed would seem to indicate that any substantial change in the vibration characteristics of the station, such as vibration frequencies, could be correctly attributed to changes or damage in module interfaces or the docking mechanism," explains Kammer, who has also done similar tests on automobiles.

Subscribe to News Notification Service
Search the Headlines
News and events at UW-Madison

Main sections: | Accessibility | College of Engineering homepage | Site map | Search | Directories | Feedback |  Help

Copyright 1997 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Date last modified: Monday, 13-Oct-1997 00:00:01 CDT Date created: 13-Oct-1997 Content By: perspective@engr.wisc.edu Thank you for visiting!