NASA solicitation: help us fix Ares I thrust oscillations

[docm]

Link....<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p> NASA LaRC Solicitation: Analysis of Ares 1 Thrust Oscillation Issues<br /><br />STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Date Released: Thursday, December 20, 2007<br />Source: Langley Research Center<br /><br />Synopsis - Dec 20, 2007<br /><br />General Information<br /><br />Solicitation Number: N/A<br />Reference Number: NNL08ThrustoscillationQ<br />Posted Date: Dec 20, 2007<br />FedBizOpps Posted Date: Dec 20, 2007<br />Original Response Date: Jan 10, 2008<br />Current Response Date: Jan 10, 2008<br />Classification Code: A -- Research and Development<br />NAICS Code: 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services<br />Set-Aside Code: Total Small Business<br /><br />Contracting Office Address<br /><br />NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001<br /><br />Description<br /><br />NASA/LaRC has a requirement for Use of the proprietary Universal Combustion Device Stability (UCDS) process developed and owned by the Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories LLC. The Government must assess thrust oscillation issues with the Constellation Program's ARES five-segment solid rocket booster. The Gloyer-Taylor Labs UCDS is a breakthrough modeling and analysis process, which provides detailed physical insight into the stability characteristics of complex combustion devices. Using calculations that are based entirely on known or measurable parameters, the UCDS makes it possible to predict for a given initial state the actual wave geometry, time history of the wave amplitude, limit amplitude reached by the wave system, and accompanying changes in the combustion chamber state properties. Design of corrective procedures can be accomplished with full physical understanding of the action of damping mechanisms.<br /><br />NASA/LaRC intends to purchase the items from Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories is the only organization that</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[windnwar]

with this I see the price of the ares 1 going up and the schedule slipping even further. More money to be tossed into a bottomless pit. <br /><br />They really truly need to ask themselves why they insist on this route at this point. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font size="2" color="#0000ff">""Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." --Albert Einstein"</font></p> </div>

 

[vulture2]

It is hardly a new problem, since several papers on SRB vibration date from around 1980. One of the main contributors was said to be the segment divisions, with their insulation barriers, which create resonance chambers like those in a whistle. Presumably casting a solid fuel booster in one piece with a monolithic grain would at least help somewhat. But of course this would eliminate the perceived benefit of using existing man-rate hardware, in addition to probably forcing the manufacturing to be done at the launch site. <br /><br />link

 

[steve82]

I don't think this solicitation is anything newsy at all, it's just a sole-source justification to buy some software and analyses. They've been talking about and working the thrust oscillations since the beginning of the Ares project. I detect some Cowing Crowing here.