D'Andrade Souto C., Pirk R.

Satellite launchers produce high intensity acoustic excitation. Even a small launcher, like the Brazilian VLS, can achieve values of sound pressure level of 140–150 dB. Such severe loads can affect not only the payload but also the equipment bay, which contains some important control equipment and is placed near the fairing. In order to achieve a better knowledge of the dynamic behavior of the equipment bay when submitted to the launching acoustic loads, tests and numerical simulation should be performed. In this work the acoustic dynamic behavior of the equipment bay is analyzed in the low frequency range using the finite element method. The real need of a coupled analysis is verified and some passive strategies to reduce the sound energy level inside the cavity are also simulated in the numerical model.