In space, temperatures, pressures and forces will vary from those in the environments we have been familiar with. Because of this measurement technology ?up there? is subjected to specific stresses. WIKA has developed, tested and supplied special force transducers for space travel. They are customer-specific load pins which have now proven themselves on a flight into space.
Space travel is definitely commercialised, and concepts for space tourism are taking shape. In the development departments of the space industry, plans are maturing for new generations of launch vehicles and other transporters for multiple, and therefore resource-saving, missions. To bring เพรสเชอร์เกจ , crew and vehicles safely back to earth, sophisticated technology, reliable in every situation, is indispensable.
A central role is played by the flight control system, which ensures the right orientation of the spacecraft for safe missions into space and back. Load pins are critical components for this. They must measure exactly the forces functioning on the flight control surfaces of the spacecraft. Conventional load pins are not up to this ? the criteria for spacecraft force transducers are too demanding for them.
Requirements for force transducers in space travel
In the search for load pins suitable for space, an aerospace company had initially enquired with another manufacturer. But this supplier had not been able to meet up with the extraordinary requirements. The strain pins would need to:
function reliably at extremely cold temperatures (right down to -65 �C)
withstand high loads and become fatigue-proof
have very compact dimensions (the diameter of the measuring bore was just 8 mm)
Many years of experience with load pins and miniaturisation
WIKA is rolling out and built this version of lots pin for a space mission.
In the end, the drawings, technical data and test requirements ended up at WIKA. Due to their many years of experience, both with load pins and also in instrument miniaturisation, WIKA?s force measurement experts succeeded in developing and manufacturing exactly the products that the client had wanted.
But that was only the first challenge. The second was to subject the load pins to a multitude of tests in order to guarantee, with absolute certainty, that they would function correctly in space. However, the testing facilities necessary for this weren’t available, neither internally nor externally. So how could the extreme operating conditions of the sensors be simulated?
Special test equipment for the space-travel force transducers
There was only one answer: WIKA had to design and build its special test facility with a heating chamber and an adjustment and calibration machine. It had to be able to:
apply an alternating load of 23,860 kg every seven seconds
maintain an internal temperature of -65 �C
This new equipment ultimately provided proof that the load pins maintained the mandatory measuring quality, even after 100,000 test cycles at the required low temperature. This is then also demonstrated in the application: The control surfaces of the spacecraft functioned perfectly and enabled a safe flight into space and back.
Measuring solutions for aviation too
In addition to space flight, WIKA also serves the aviation industry with specific measurement solutions. One example of this may be the development of a force transducer as part of the European ?Clean Sky? programme, which aims to lessen emissions from aircraft. WIKA also supplies DirectDrive pressure gauges for oxygen systems and pressure transducers for ice detection in jet engines.
Note
Further information on load pins along with other force measurement technology for extreme conditions, for example ring force transducers and strain transducers, are available on the WIKA website. You may also download a brochure with a concise overview of WIKA? digital pressure gauge . Should you have any questions, your contact will gladly help you.
Also read our posts
Force transducer: making air traffic cleaner
Force & power ? what are actually they?
Load pins and the like: One product, various terms & regions of application
Anchor force measurement ? a discipline that will require experience
Any risk of strain transducer in request