Design And Test Of Moving Mechanical Assemblies

The newly revised AIAA S-114A-2020, Moving Mechanical Assemblies for Space and Launch Vehicles specifies general requirements for the design, manufacture, quality control, testing, and storage of moving mechanical assemblies (MMAs) for use on space and launch vehicles.

The standard is applicable to the mechanical or electromechanical devices that control the movement of a mechanical part of a space or launch vehicle relative to another part. The requirements apply to the overall MMA as well as to  integral mechanical components and instrumentation.

MMAs are designed to meet the following requirements:

• Performance—satisfactory operation during and/or after exposure to (proto-) qualification or acceptance environments to include launch, on-orbit, development, and handling environments
• Physical—clearances, alignments, interfaces, and mechanical/assembly tolerances
• Electrical and Electronic—cable and wiring harnesses, electrostatic discharge, and grounding
• Structural—stiffness, strength, and distortions
• Reliability—single-point failures, failure modes and effects, service life, and maintainability

Component designs such as fasteners and their locking devices, retention and release devices, pivots and hinges, cable systems, springs, dampers, stops, latches, bearings, gears, power/signal transfer components, and electric motors all have specific requirements to be evaluated and are subject to rigorous testing programs. Parts, materials, and process requirements are also outlined to ensure performance, reliability, and strength requirements are met as well.

Today’s space industry is more diverse and entrepreneurial than ever before. The AIAA industry consensus process provides a forum for commercial, civil, and national security space to create and to collectively own the developed standard that establishes engineering and technical requirements.

Application of the MMA standard requirements as appropriate provides a greater confidence that mechanical moving equipment will operate successfully in space.

For more information contact Brian Gore, 310.336.7253, brian.w.gore@aero.org, or Leon Gurevich, 310.336.1268,
leon.gurevich@aero.org