Transmission of high frequency data from rocket sleds through screen boxes

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High speeed impact testing is a branch of environmental testing that lends itself well to the use of rocket sleds. Two types of impact testing are commonly used. The first method, standard impact testing, consists of accelerating the test item to the desired velocity and impacting it into a stationary target. The second method, called turnaround testing, consists of propelling the target into a stationary unit. In order to utilize the advantages of standard testing, it is necessary to be able to record high frequency data from the impact by communicating with the test item carried on the sled. The screen box technique works so well in the classical usage that it was decided to modify the technique slightly and investigate the possibility of transmitting high frequency data generated on the rocket sled through screen boxes to a ground-based recording station located near the track. In order to investigate the above uncertainties, several rocket sled tests were conducted. Based on the tests and a vast log of past experience using screen boxes to supply electrical communication with rocket sleds traveling at velocities up to Mach 3.5 and three highly successful high frequency data tests at speeds near Mach 5, itmore » is believed that high frequency data generated during a rocket sled impact of any velocity achievable at Sandia can be transmitted to recording stations through a conventional rocket sled screen box system. It has been shown that the presence of a rocket sled traveling at hypersonic velocities through a screen box does not degrade, distort, or otherwise alter data being transmitted through the screen box. Additionally, no dropouts or loss of signal of any type was in evidence while using screen boxes as data links.« less