The Test and Launch Control Technology for Launch Vehicles

255 Pages·2018·9.938 MB·English

by  Zhengyu Song

Zhengyu Song
The Test and Launch
Control Technology
for Launch Vehicles
The Test and Launch Control Technology
for Launch Vehicles
Zhengyu Song
The Test and Launch
Control Technology
for Launch Vehicles
123
Zhengyu Song
ChinaAcademy of Launch Vehicle
Technology
Beijing
China
ISBN978-981-10-8711-0 ISBN978-981-10-8712-7 (eBook)
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Preface
The main function of a rocket is to fly reliably and stably and deliver the payload
into orbit accurately. Although this should be achieved by the excellent perfor-
mance of onboard systems (OBSs), ground test and launch control systems
(TLCSs) also play vital roles to ensure success. On the one hand, the TLCS pro-
vides comprehensive checks and verification for the rocket’s function and perfor-
mance, minimizing technological risks in advance; on the other hand, the TLCS
itself is an important part of the prelaunch facilities, critical to completing the task
reliably, and particularly for launch site safety. To cope with the increasing com-
petition in the launch service market, many countries have recognized TLCS
contributions. With the intensive launch activities nowadays, it is widely accepted
that improving efficiency, reducing costs, and getting into and out of space
responsively,whilestillensuringhighreliabilityandsafety,havebecomethemajor
competitiveness factors in the aerospace industry.
This book is written in the context explained above. It is divided into seven
chapters, focusing on the design of the launch vehicle ground test and launch
controlsystem,givingconsiderationtotheequipmentleveltestsandthesimulation
tests,andconductingaspecialdiscussionontheresponsivetestandlaunchcontrol
technology.ThebookcomprehensivelyreflectsChina’sachievementandthelatest
progress in these fields.
The first chapter introduces TLCS’ development worldwide and the status of
related technologies in China. The corresponding technologies of the NASA-led
project, ESA Ariane 5 launcher, and JAXA Epsilon rocket are introduced as key
points of the present situation of the US, Europe, and Japan. Among them, the
responsive test and launch control is alleged as the main innovation of Epsilon,
the Japanese newly developed small solid rocket. At the end of this chapter, the
Chinese TLCS development is briefly reviewed and prospected.
The second chapter introduces the launch vehicle’s electrical system testing
technologyingeneral.Firstofall,itsortsoutthecurrenttestingtechnologies from
various viewpoints and then proposes different corresponding classification meth-
ods. The chapter then presents a brief introduction from four aspects of test
activities: Equipment level, system level, launch site, and software testing.
v
vi Preface
Subsequently, test system design is also introduced in terms of the test require-
ments, including basic test system development processes, design for test
(DFT)technology,typicaltestingequipmentwithvariousbustechnologies,etc.At
the end of this chapter, the future testing technology development is discussed.
The third chapter introduces the equipment level test technology, which incor-
poratesfunctional/performanceandreliabilitytesting.Consideringthefeaturesand
complexity of the control system equipment functional test, it introduces two
equipment categories: Controllers, including the OBC, and inertial devices,
includingtheIMUandotherdevicescomposedofaccelerometersandrategyros.It
alsoconsidersreliabilitytesting,includingreliabilitygrowthandenhancementtests.
At the end of this chapter, some cautions on the product verification (acceptance)
tests are analyzed and explained.
The fourth chapter introduces the system level test technology, which incorpo-
rates the subsystem and the system level test. The former test is a functional static
testwherethenotionof“subsystem”isrelative.Ingeneral,thecontrolsystemitself
is a subsystem but the “subsystem” here refers to a small system composed of
multipledevices.Thesubsystemtestmustcoverthefunctionalinspectionofallthe
onboard products under the system connection state, and the test items should be
adaptedtotheimplementationsonthelaunchsite.Thesystemleveltestistheflight
simulation with a complete LV electrical system, mainly referred as the general
check in China and is performed hierarchically. Through the test, the LV avionics
performances, the coordination between the OBS and the TLCS, along with the
electromagneticcompatibilitybetweentherocketandthegroundsystem,arebeing
assessed.Forthenewlydevelopedrocket,theengineandpropellantsystemtestsare
very necessary and are also introduced as system level test.
Thefifthchapterdiscussesthesimulationtesttechnology,whichisanotherkind
of system level test. It first reviews the simulation technology in the aerospace
industry,withparticularattentiontoLVs,andthendiscussesthesimulationtesting
for LV control systems along with the basic simulation testing principles.
Subsequently, it briefly introduces the modeling, simulation process, and the
boundary conditions commonly applied for the LV simulation analysis. The
modeling relates to the model design of the control system avionics and the LV
motion, including the small deviation motion and 6DOF simulation model. The
boundary simulation conditions reflect the evaluation criteria on the system
performance.
The sixth chapter introduces the launch control technology, taking the widely
usedremotelaunchcontroltechnologyasthebasis.Thelaunchcontrolprocess,the
front-end and back-end facilities, and the network systems are being discussed.
Because of the importance of the launch control technology, the safety levels of
launchcontrolrelatedsoftwarearehigherthanothergroundtestsoftware.Sounder
this background, the chapter introduces the ground TLCS software system,
includingsoftwarereliabilitydesign,andthecorrespondingtechnologiesuniqueto
the ground TLCS software.
Preface vii
The seventh chapter introduces the responsive test and launch control technol-
ogy, focusing on the means to improve testing efficiency, simplify operations, and
adopt intelligent data analysis to reduce on-site technical support personnel. It
reflects the latest research results in this field, and the experience gained in the
practical use of other countries’ launch vehicles is also supplemented in this
chapter.
Due to the space limitation, this book cannot include all aspects of launch
vehicle TLCS. It starts with the discussion from the traditional launch and control
system, taking into account the electrical equipment level test, engine and propel-
lantsystemtest,aswellasthesimulationtest.Thebookdoesnotgivedetailedand
specific hardware or software design, but it expatiates mainly from the aspects of
testingprinciple,purpose,process,etc.,andletsthereadersgraspthenatureoftest
and launch control technologies.
The compilation of this book has been helped by many colleagues, especially
Mr. Li Xinming. The intended audiences of this book are engineers of launch
vehicle TLCS and avionics system, and operation staffs on the launch sites.
Beijing, China Zhengyu Song
January 2018
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 United States Check and Launch Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.1 Launch Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.2 System Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.3 Fault Diagnosis and Health Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 European Launch Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2.1 Ariane 5 Rocket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2.2 Vega. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 Japanese Automatic Checking and Rapid Launch Technology. . . . 7
1.4 Chinese Test and Launch Control Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Test Technology for Launcher Electrical Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1 Test Technology Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 Introduction of Test Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.2.1 Equipment Level Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.2.2 System Level Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.2.3 Launch Site Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.2.4 Test Technologies for Control System Software . . . . . . . . 21
2.3 Test System Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.1 Test System Basic Design Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.2 Design for Test Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.3.3 Standard Buses-Based Test System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.3.4 Natural Environment Adaptability Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.3.5 Test System Functional Verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.4 Test Technology Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.4.1 System Level Virtual Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.4.2 System Level Integrated Environmental Test. . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.4.3 Test Technology for Expense Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
ix
x Contents
3 Equipment Level Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.1 Functional and Performance Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3.1.1 Controller Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.1.2 Inertial Device Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.2 Reliability Growth and Enhancement Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3.2.1 Test Condition Determination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.2.2 Reliability Growth Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3.2.3 Reliability Enhancement Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
3.3 Verification Test Cautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.3.1 Aging Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.3.2 Environmental Stress Screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
3.3.3 Other Test Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
4 System Level Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
4.1 Subsystem Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
4.1.1 Test Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
4.1.2 Redundancy Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
4.1.3 Pre-launch Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
4.2 System Level Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
4.2.1 General Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
4.2.2 Engine and Propellant System Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
5 Simulation Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
5.1 Brief Introduction to Aerospace Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
5.2 Basic Principles of the Rocket Control System Simulation Test. . . 121
5.3 Simulation Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
5.3.1 Control System Equipment Models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
5.3.2 Launcher Motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
5.4 Simulation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
5.4.1 DOF Model Calculation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
5.4.2 Control Module Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
5.5 Attitude Control Simulation States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
5.5.1 Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
5.5.2 Load Reduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
5.5.3 Other Normal Simulation Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
5.5.4 Fault Simulation Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
6 Launch Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.1.1 US Launch Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.1.2 Chinese Launch Control System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Contents xi
6.2 Front-End Launch Control System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
6.2.1 Logic Control and Instruction Circuit Design . . . . . . . . . . 155
6.2.2 Power Supply and Distribution Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
6.2.3 Ignition and Emergency Shutdown Control. . . . . . . . . . . . 165
6.3 Back-End Launch Control System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
6.3.1 Launch Control Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
6.3.2 IRIG-B Terminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
6.3.3 Computer Functional Allocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
6.4 Front-End and Back-End Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
6.4.1 Network Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
6.4.2 Software Interface and Prelaunch Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . 175
6.5 Ground Test and Launch Control Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
6.5.1 Composition and Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
6.5.2 Software Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
6.5.3 Process Control Language and Script Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
6.5.4 Prelaunch Elements Generation and Quality Assurance . . . 186
6.5.5 User Interface Automatic Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
6.5.6 Software Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
7 Responsive Test and Launch Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
7.1 Fast Test and Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
7.1.1 Simplify Launch Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
7.1.2 Improve Test Coverage and Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
7.1.3 Reducing Technical Support Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
7.2 Pre-launch Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
7.2.1 Expert System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
7.2.2 Common Diagnostic Mechanisms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
7.2.3 Example Launcher Health Monitoring System. . . . . . . . . . 225
7.2.4 Launcher Health Monitoring Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
7.3 Model-Based and Data-Driven Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
7.3.1 Information Flow Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
7.3.2 Bus Interception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
7.3.3 Data Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
7.4 System-in-the-Loop Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244