Vibration Testing a Large Guided Missile on Air-Spring Supports

When performing a vibration test on a guided missile, it is necessary to simulate the free-free condition of the missile in flight. This procedure presents technical difficulties because the missile must be supported for the test in the laboratory, and the supports can affect the mode shapes and resonant frequencies. To avoid the problems that occurred when using slings or bungee cords, an air-spring support system was developed. The performance of the air-spring support system exceeded expectations. The missile could be raised quickly and consistently on the saddles, and the supports had minimal effects on the vibration responses.