Deliver portable launch simulators with custom DAQ design, precise signal monitoring, and thorough testing to ensure seamless integration with complex vehicle systems.
ALTEN Technology undertook a project to develop a launch vehicle simulator specifically designed for ground support systems. Their comprehensive approach involved gathering detailed requirements, identifying and interviewing key stakeholders, utilizing third-party vendors, and building custom cables in-house, culminating in thorough assembly and testing. As a result, ALTEN Technology successfully designed and manufactured four portable simulators capable of monitoring and transmitting the same electrical signals that interface with the four stages of a launch vehicle. This effort also produced extensive design detail documentation, including interface control documents, wiring schematics, box layouts, and CAD drawings. The project ensured completion through rigorous testing and configuration audits before the final boxes were shipped to the client. Key technical achievements included the design and optimization of a rack-mounted data acquisition (DAQ) chassis with dedicated boards wired to custom PCBAs for conditioning and distributing electrical signals, along with robust data handling for capacity, bandwidth, storage, and reporting of simulated sensor data. The solution incorporated various signal types such as analog and digital I/O, RS-422, ISO-SPI, and Ethernet, utilizing umbilical cables with MIL-DTL-38999 connectors and Quadrax contacts for network connectivity.