DirectOut has reported the successful deployment of its Prodigy.MP modular audio platform in extreme acoustic testing being conducted by Acoustic Research Systems (ARS).
Orbiting satellites provide essential services for us on Earth: communication and internet access, navigation and weather forecasting, even scientific and military objectives. Launches of these through Earth’s atmosphere is accompanied by tremendous noise, vibration and pressure loads, so testing these, and other space-bound objects is crucial for verifying their durability.
An industry leader in Direct Field Acoustic Testing, ARS is using multiple Prodigy.MP units to provide a critical link between an acoustic test control system and ARS Neutron acoustic fields – part of a turnkey solution for mobile or fixed High Power Direct Field Acoustic Testing – to create accurate and repeatable launch simulations.
A Falcon 9 rocket launch generates an SPL of approximately 107dBa, while and the historic Saturn 5 rockets of the Apollo era were in excess of 200dBa. These are among the loudest sounds on Earth. Sound at this level ceases to be a wave moving through air and becomes a pressure zone, pushing air with huge force causing gigantic destructive vibrations. To ensure the survivability of electronics and solar panels required by modern space-technology, launches today require robust testing methods.
The Neutron acoustic field generating platform is the first turnkey ultra-high output field acoustic testing and launch simulation system, with each unit weighing more than 770kg, these are substantial acoustic devices. Used in groups of three, these stacks are capable of producing greater than 150dB, exactly the level needed to recreate the force of dangerously loud rocket engines.
The Prodigy.MP platform offers flexible I/O, dual network audio, DSP functions, sample rate conversion, and management software. In conjunction with the Neutron system, Prodigy.MP ensures that the correct input signals are routed to the appropriate outputs, guaranteeing successful test execution. The built-in redundancy of Prodigy.MP, including dual power supplies and Dante redundancy, ensures exceptional operational reliability.
The test environment is created by producing an acoustic field that precisely meets the specific frequency response profile required by the customer. Achieved with as few as three Neutron drivers, some systems may require many more, stacked horizontally, vertically, or both. Prodigy.MP, as central hub of the system drive, is key to these set-ups. Its ability to handle complex routing and signal processing allows the field to be entirely randomised, a feature in demand from customers seeking to repeat the specific conditions that launch vehicles create, and that their payloads need to endure.
ARS is the first company to introduce a standardised, fully digital, fully redundant drive system for Direct Field Acoustic Testing. The automated test control supported by Prodigy.MP, along with real-time monitoring via globcon software, provides an intuitive interface that simplifies the entire testing process.
‘Prodigy.MP stood out to us for its unmatched blend of capability, reliability, and adaptability,’ says Leiter. ‘Few platforms can meet the demands of high-power acoustic testing like it does. For smaller-scale campaigns, the sheer power and footprint were occasionally more than we needed, but that’s where Maven steps in. Together, these tools give ARS the versatility to deliver precision testing across missions of all sizes.’
More: www.directout.eu