NASA’s Constellation Program is on the verge of human travel to space. Whereas previously only astronauts were allowed to experience space travel, NASA is now partnering with various companies in preparation for citizen travel.
This is exciting news for citizens able to afford the hefty vacation price tags, but before NASA can issue the final approval, citizen safety must be ensured. For that reason, NASA has been working on one of the known concerns: thrust oscillation.
Thrust Oscillation
As a health and performance concern, thrust oscillation can impact the crew and citizens at first stage burnout. When the shuttle launches, there is often a smooth liftoff and ride for almost two minutes. Then, at burnout, the shuttle’s pressure creates a vibration that impairs the crew’s performance, impacting their ability to see and think clearly for a few seconds.
Ares 1
Because of the inherent risks that thrust oscillation can have on crew responsiveness, NASA is working on a new shuttle, Ares 1, that will address this concern. The new Ares 1 motor design will be 2.7 Hz smaller than the traditional shuttles, which allows the motor to dampen the thrust oscillation effects.
Designs
As NASA moves forward with design ideas, they are considering C-spring isolator, mass absorber and LOX damper designs. All of the designs are still being considered, but the C-spring isolator looks most promising.
The dual plane C-spring isolator design is not outperforming the other ideas in tests, but this was not always the case: The isolator had been too heavy at first production, so engineers recently developed a lighter titanium isolator, which put the C-spring isolator idea back in the running.
As NASA continues to move us closer to the space travel experience, we are left with only two concerns: How can a simple citizen find the $200,000-plus projected vacation fee and where can we sign up?