Force Limits Measured on a Space Shuttle Flight

The random vibration forces between a payload and the sidewall of the space shuttle have been measured in flight and compared with the force specifications used in ground vibration tests. The flight data are in agreement with a semi-empirical method, which is widely used to predict vibration test force limits. The flight measurements are less than one-half of the random vibration loads specified in the shuttle payload design guide. These data are consistent with published data [1]