SIMULATED ORBITER LIFT-OFF ACCELERATION - A STOCHASTIC-MODEL

A simple procedure for generating synthetic orbiter lift-off accelerat ion is described. This stochastic method is based on a filtered white noise model which accounts for the nonstationary time evolution of amp litude and frequency content of orbiter lift-off accelerations. The ex ample of Space Transportation System STS-41 Z-acceleration is carefull y examined, and the corresponding synthetic orbiter lift-off accelerat ions model was developed. It is shown that the resulting simulated acc elerations preserve significant properties of the original record. Sta tistically based acceleration response spectra curves for the simulate d orbiter lift-off excitations are also evaluated and the results are compared with those for the actual flight data.