Posted on 1/20/2010
Source: Aerospace Engineering & Manufacturing
A series of critical, full-scale, physical tests have recently been completed by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) at Langley Research Center accurately predicting the Composite Crew Module (CCM)’s successful performance under simulated flight conditions. The CCM is an all-composite alternative for the flight crew module Orion, which is part of NASA’s Constellation program to return man to the Moon and/or Mars. The NESC is using the CCM project to study material trade-offs between metals and composites in space structures, and the tests’ successful outcome clears the way for increased use of lightweight composites in space vehicles. HyperSizer, a structural sizing and composite analysis software from Collier Research Corp., was used throughout the almost three-year project to optimize the design, weight, and manufacturability of the CCM, which is constructed of honeycomb sandwich and solid laminate composites. HyperSizer was the first NASA software to be licensed and commercialized as part of the agency’s effort to transfer technology to U.S. business and industry. Read more…