National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

Marshall Space Flight CenterStructural Strength Test Lab

Engineering Solutions for Space Science and Exploration

Marshall’s Structural Strength Test Labhas unique capabilities and experience to apply and react mil-lions of pounds of mechanical loads in compression, tension, and laterally on various size structural test articles. There are multiple facilities and reaction structures with the capability for testing large and small structures. Environmental profiles (including heat, cryogenic, vacuum, humidity, etc.) can be simulated during load testing.

Mechanical loads are applied using closed-loop hydraulic actuator systems with calibrated load cells. Data systems mea-sure and record strain, displacement/deflection, temperature, pressure, flow, etc. Pressure loads can be applied with positive or vacuum pressures. Facility supplies 4,330 psig GN2, 3,500 psig high-purity air, and there is a 100,000 psig hydropac unit for very high-pressure hydrostatic testing.

Building 4619 is a high bay test facility that provides labo-ratory space, test cells and utility support for static and dynamic testing. Static and Dynamic testing are conducted in the central and east high bays. The west high bay provides laboratory space for dynamic testing and other unrelated functions. Vibration, acoustic, pyrotechnic and static load test cells are located adjacent to the high bays.

Ares I Upper Stage Isogrid Panel Test

3 million lbs Tensile Test Machine

Large Scale Shell Buckling Test

Space Shuttle Intertank Test

Space Shuttle Truss Test

8-ft Diameter Shell Buckling Test

Composite Tank Test

Central High Bay East High Bay West High BayA Load Reaction CrossheadB Static Test Fixture with Test Article InstalledC Modal Test Fixture with Test Article InstalledD Control Dynamics 105 Foot DeployedE Gilmore Universal Test MachineF Static Test Fixture with Test Article InstalledG Universal Load Reaction MachinesH East Vibration LaboratoryJ Anechoic and Reverberation ChamberK Hom RoomL Clean Room with Modal Test FixtureM West Vibration LaboratoryN Holographic Modal Analysis LaboratoryO Adaptive Optics LaboratoryP Controls LaboratoryQ Pyrotechnic Test Cell

Marshall Space Flight CenterStructural Test Facilities Layout (Building 4619)

MSFC Bldg. 4619

Video Image Correlation Data View

CapabilitiesLarge Structural Tests:• Load Test Annex (LTA) is 169 × 161 × 155 ft with a 60-ft ×

75-ft door and a 55-ft × 55-ft concrete reaction floor 11-ft thick.– Load Reaction Crosshead is adjustable from 40-ft to 115-ft

elevation with two 30-ton bridge cranes.– Crosshead is rated up to 30 Mlbf vertically and 2.4 Mlbf

laterally.– Anchor pads on 18-in centers rated for 110 klbf.

• Load Test Annex Extension (LTAE) is 95 × 203 × 97 ft with a 40-ft × 40-ft door and a 70-ft × 160-ft concrete reaction floor 10-ft thick:– Two 25-ton bridge cranes with an 80-ft hook height.– Anchor points on 10-ft centers rated for 400 klbf.

Small Structural Tests:• Universal ‘Erector Set’ type steel fixtures: 6 ft cube/10 klbf,

10 ft cube/50 klbf, and a 20 ft cube/100 klbf.• 3 Mlbf Gilmore Tensile Test Machine.• Tensile Test Lab with 2 Mlbf Tensile Test Machine, 120 klbf

Satec, and a 260-klbf Instron.

Cryogenic Pressure Tests:• South Pads outside building 4619 have two 5-ft thick concrete

reaction pads.• 4699 Cryogenic Structural Test Facility:

– Large volume storage of LH2 and LN2.– High-pressure gases (GN2, GHe, GH2, and MGA).– Shear towers can react up to 300 klbf laterally.– Accommodates up to 33-ft diameter test articles.

Other Test Capabilities:• 4572 Hazardous Structural Test Bay:

– 40-ft × 94-ft × 48-ft building with removable ceiling.– 12-ft thick concrete walls rated for 2.5 Mlbf and a 5-ft thick

concrete floor.• 4555 Biaxial Load Test Facility, combined environments for

cryoconditioning, radiant heat, and acoustics.

Data Acquisition:• 6,400 channels of strain, deflection, load, and pressure data.• 1,600 channels of thermocouple data.• Real-time monitoring, plotting, and comparison to uploaded

predictions.

Instrumentation:• Load cells (0.1–2 Mlbf), Displacement tranducers (0.001–100 in),

pressure transducers, strain gages, thermocouples, etc.• Extensive equipment and individuals with 25+ yrs experience

installing gages on multiple substrates in different environments.

Video Image Correlation:• Calibrated camera pairs.• Measures full-field strain and deflections.• Real-time display during tests.

Other Services:• Fabrication, valve lab, calibration facility, and handling crews

are available in-house.• High-speed photography as well as high-definition and

standard-definition video and audio.

Key Benefits > Capable of providing proof, limit, failure, development, qualification, or flight acceptance levels and environments of testing.

> Unique experience and test facilities to meet the customer’s needs.

> Shop and fabrication capabilities to react and respond quickly to customer requirements and changes.

For more information, please visit www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/about/business.html

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight CenterHuntsville, AL 35812www.nasa.gov/marshall

www.nasa.gov

FL-2012-06-39-MSFC8–529794eET30