KSC-05-S-00316

My name is Sam Yunis. I am a vibrations analyst in KSC's Launch Service Program. Vibration analysis involves figuring out how much the launch vehicle will vibrate and how to design it to survive. I have to consider forces from the engines, from exhaust plume pressures that smack the vehicle at liftoff, from aerodynamic pressures as the vehicle pushes through the atmosphere, and from explosive shock. By the way, did you know that most launch vehicles separate their stages with an explosive charge that rips the metal connections? Let's step back for a moment and be honest. Engineering analysis is not the glamorous, Hollywood part of engineering. It isn't hardware on the table with people shouting “failure is not an option.” Analysis is equations and theory and models and computers. But analysis is what you might call “behind-the-scenes” cool. As an analyst you will have to provide solutions to tough problems. Sometimes my day involves brainstorming with other engineers to uncover any solution or to discover the best solution. There is a lot of pride in solving these tough problems and your peers will recognize you for that. OK, back to vibrations. As a vibrations analyst, each day I figure out how much a launch vehicle or a spacecraft is going to vibrate. That is critical, because structural vibrations are the thing most likely to break the vehicle. Whether it is a metal fuel tank or a solder joint on a circuit board, vibrations are the villain. So, how do I do my analysis? Well, I might use a detailed computer model of the structure. To this, I can apply forces and calculate the vibrations. The hard part about this is knowing what forces to apply and when to apply them. This requires wind-tunnel testing and statistical analysis. It involves shaking the structure in a test lab to really understand how it should be modeled. I might even have to shake the structure until it breaks, just to figure out how strong it is. I describe my job with the Launch Services Program as very exciting. I need to know almost everything about every U.S. launch vehicle, including the Atlas, Delta, Taurus and Pegasus launch vehicles. If you want to be a part of the national space exploration business, Launch Services Program analysis is a great place to be. Let me conclude by saying that being an analyst isn't easy. It requires that you become an engineer and pay close attention during math class. Put in the time and effort and the reward is worth it. I know that I love my job.