[Server-sky] vibration modes

[M. Edward (Ed) Borasky]

On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 11:49 PM, Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com> wrote:
> Server-sats will have interesting vibration modes.  Given the
> mass-to-flexural-stiffness ratio, they will probably vibrate at
> really low frequencies.  Does anybody remember enough of their
> vibrating beam physics from college to take a whack at this, or
> do I derive something a week or two from now?
>
> I suspect the vibration frequencies are low enough that we may
> have to feather the thrusters, that is, turn on the acceleration
> really gradually, or there will be waves that will be very slow
> to damp out.  For that and other reasons, we should look for
> methods to measure flexing.  I suspect the measurements will
> involve time-of-flight distance measurements to transceivers
> on neighboring server-sats.

I remember absolutely none of my vibrating beam physics. However, I
can hunt down open-source finite element modeling packages and maybe
figure out how to use them. That's probably going to be a task on the
project anyhow. :)
-- 
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky
http://www.linkedin.com/in/edborasky

I've never met a happy clam. In fact, most of them were pretty steamed.