Performance of a Smart Vibration Isolator for Precision Spacecraft Instruments

Abstract

This paper describes the configuration and measured performance of an hybrid, active-passive vibration isolation mount designed to mitigate vibratory disturbances on sensitive spacecraft instruments. The device, called the Active Vibration Canceler (AVC), consists of a passive isolation stage using composite leaf springs faced with shape-memory metal sheet material to provide load-adaptive damping, and an active, force-canceling stage using a motion-amplified electrostrictive stack actuator to augment attenuation of transmitted vibrations in the 10-120 Hz band. The paper discusses the features of the AVC design and active control architecture, and presents results of experiments characterizing the broadband performance of the device. Performance measurements show that the AVC provides up to 40 dB attenuation of base disturbances at 100 Hz, and that the electrostrictive active stage provides in excess of 10 dB attenuation over the passive isolator in the range 10-100 Hz. The measurements indicate that hybrid devices of this type can be effective in reducing transmitted vibrations to sensitive instruments, and that the incorporation of active elements can significantly enhance attenuation of broadband vibrations in isolation applications.

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