Modal testing of the NPSAT1 Engineering development unit

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to validate a finite element model of the small satellite NPSAT1. A modal test of this satellite will be conducted and the results will be correlated to the FEM simulation results. Furthermore, this thesis provides an overview of modal parameter extraction techniques and the theories behind them. Impact testing is chosen to obtain the data. In the end, the FEM is found to be inaccurate and suggestions are presented for improvements.