Rob:

My good friend and four-mission shuttle astronaut, Jay Apt described the ascent as "an eight hundred pound, really mad gorilla shaking you as hard as he can." I had the honor of flying the SMS-1 with Chief Astronaut, Charlie Precourt as my copilot and I can agree. It is violent. The shaking comes from the solid rocket boosters. At approximately 2:09 into the flight, the SRBs are jettisoned and the main engines are as smooth as electric motors. You can read about it at <http://www.avweb.com/news/usedacft/181561-1.html>. It was quite an experience.

Walter


On Jan 1, 2006, at 9:53 PM, RWolf99@aol.com wrote:


Greyhawk writes --
 
<<Spacecraft just don't shake like a four-cylinder engine.>>
 
Actually, it is much, much worse.  Not on orbit, of course, but on the rocket ride up there.  I have witnessed vibration testing to the spectrum which these things are qualified -- it makes our prehistoric 4-bangers seem as smooth as turbines.  Roll your stereo down a long flight of stairs and you'll begin to get a feeling for what spacecraft have to survive.
 
I asked the electronics guys at work (Aviation Technology Group, makers of the Javelin Jet) which connectors I should use.  They (very apologetically) told me that the MS38999 connectors were the only way to go.  They know these are the expensive ones -- these guys used to work on kitplanes as well and know where we're coming from.  They told me that I was going to be spending a pile of money on connectors but that it would be money well spent for reliability.
 
It's basically the same thing that Brent is saying -- cheap connectors are false economy.  Use the good ones, and you'll be paying so much for them that you'll only install them where you really need them.
 
I do not know if MS38999 connectors (known as "thirty-eight triple-nine" connectors) are the same connectors as the AMP Circular Plastic Connectors that Brent recommends.
 
- Rob Wolf