M30033: The European Space Agency (ESA) has tasked your group to verify the design of a Payload Adapter System: Mechanical Engineering Course Work, UOP, UK

Coursework Brief

The European Space Agency (ESA) has tasked your group to verify the design of a Payload Adapter System (PAS) for the Ariane 5 launcher (Figure 1).

Design specifications for PAS include:

Geometrical Constraints:

1. Diameter of the base 𝐷𝐵 (as prescribed for your group ID in table 1);
2. Dimeter of the top 𝐷𝑇 (as prescribed for your group ID in table 1);
3. Height 𝐻 (as prescribed for your group ID in table 1);
4. Mass of the supported payload 𝑀𝑃 (as prescribed for your group ID in table 1);
5. The maximum mass of PAS: 200 𝑘𝑔

A simplified loading condition scenario and kinematic constraints

1. The bottom base is fully constrained
2. The top base is subjected both axial and lateral loads uniformly distributed on the top rim; the magnitude of those loads are 𝐹𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 4.5 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝑀𝑃 and 𝐹𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 = 0.8 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝑀𝑃, where 𝑀𝑃 is the total mass of the payload and 𝑔 is the acceleration due to gravity assumed as 𝑔 = 9.81 𝑚/𝑠 2

Performative constraints

1. The magnitude of the maximum acceptable displacement at any point of the PAS is 1/200 of the part height.
2. The element is expected to receive vibrations in the range 50 − 150 𝐻𝑧 (origin and nature of vibrations are not relevant for the purpose of the analysis). Provided the constraints listed above (i.e. diameters, height, and PAS mass) are respected, the design of the part is completely free.
3. This means that the material, the design details (ribs, shape, etc.), and the part thickness is discretional and should be determined and justified on some engineering-related grounds (a discussion is expected)