| According to the National Aeronautics and Space | | | | That's where having a vibration control expert at one's |
| Administration, "In 2008, NASA will continue to plan | | | | disposal comes in handy. The first thing to look for |
| how best to transition any needed Shuttle workforce | | | | when shopping around for vibration control products is |
| and infrastructure to the Constellation program. The | | | | a company that offers an exhaustive line of isolators |
| Constellation program includes funding for the Orion | | | | and mounts for the control of noise, vibration and |
| and Ares projects, as well as for ground operations, | | | | shock. Regardless of whether one's vibration isolation |
| mission operations, and extravehicular activity projects | | | | needs are of the one pound or the one ton variety, |
| and a dedicated in-house effort for systems | | | | such companies will have the right type of mount to |
| engineering and integration." | | | | the fit application. |
| To gear up for the implementation of that plan, NASA | | | | The variety of styles and sizes that Vibro-Insulator |
| is in the process of making infrastructure | | | | vibration isolators come in are designed to handle most |
| improvements at many of its centers. Among those | | | | vibration isolation problems. The reputable company |
| improvements will be "modifications to the Space | | | | that produces Vibro-Insulators also offers a product |
| Power Facility (SPF) at Glenn Research Center's Plum | | | | guide showing all the different styles of mounts it has |
| Brook Station (Ohio) in support of Orion environmental | | | | available for purchase. This way, the vibration control |
| testing, enabling the SPF to perform vibration and | | | | seeker can see all of his or her options in one |
| vibro-acoustic testing." | | | | convenient place. |
| To that end, in November 2007, NASA chartered the | | | | Produced with either natural rubber or neoprene |
| Thrust Oscillation Focus Team to precisely define the | | | | elastomers, depending on the application, |
| frequency spectrum and oscillation amplitudes that the | | | | Vibro-Insulators' mounts are designed to be used in |
| five segment (Ares) motor is expected to produce. In | | | | either the compression or shear direction. Typically, |
| parallel, the team is evaluating vehicle structural | | | | natural rubber is a good choice for most industrial |
| assessments in order to provide additional vibration | | | | applications but is affected by oil. Neoprene, on the |
| isolation to critical launch vehicle systems and uncouple | | | | other hand, is resistant to oil. |
| the vehicle's natural frequency from motor induced | | | | Still feeling like you need a rocket scientist at your |
| loads." | | | | disposal to make the right vibration isolation and control |
| The rocket scientists at NASA may have the brain | | | | decision? Well, there's no need to contact NASA for |
| power to figure out their vibration control needs on | | | | assistance. Step by step instructions on how to select |
| their own-and they definitely have the brain power to | | | | the proper Vibro-Insulator for a specific application are |
| realize how important vibration isolation is to their | | | | also provided by the company that produces them. |
| Constellation program. However, not every | | | | For those who are math phobic, an example |
| organization that needs vibration control has a team of | | | | calculation is even provided to show you exactly how |
| rocket scientists on staff to turn to for such | | | | to crunch the vibration isolation numbers. |
| computations. | | | | |