Overview of an automated test bench for electrical testing of sensors and cable networks of rocket technology products

Abstract

Modern onboard radio telemetry systems measure critical parameters, enabling the recording of processes such as thermal conditions, flight dynamics, gas dynamics, and others. During the manufacturing of rocket and space hardware components, telemetry sensors and cable networks are installed. The rapidly evolving rocket and space hardware requires an increasing number of measured telemetry parameters, leading to the development of new test equipment designed for the electrical testing of telemetry sensors and cable networks. These tests are performed by powering the sensors and recording their output values using measuring instruments. The recorded values must comply with the sensors' technical documentation, taking into account the test conditions. Objective. To describe a universal test bench for the automated electrical testing of telemetry sensors and cable networks installed on rocket and space hardware components. This test bench addresses the issues of reliable monitoring and diagnostics of telemetry sensor states, confirming their operability and correct installation during the manufacturing process. Materials and Methods. A novel information processing method is proposed, wherein each sensor is automatically assigned one of four possible states: “open circuit”, “short circuit”, “sensor fault”, or “sensor operational”. Based on the aggregate of the obtained states, a final report on the functioning of all sensors in the system is generated. Based on the proposed method, the test bench configuration is defined to enable the recording of various types of sensor signals. Results. Experimental tests were conducted, demonstrating the accuracy of the recording and processing of information received from the sensors. Using three telemetry sensors as examples – the DAE–2.5 capacitive absolute pressure sensor, the TM 221 resistance thermometer, and the Vt 1201 frequency-output pressure sensor – the processing of the recorded data is examined to confirm sensor operability and correct installation. Conclusion. The automated test bench for telemetry sensors and cable networks meets the specified requirements and demonstrates high efficiency. The applied information processing method, which enables fault detection, simplifies fault isolation and rectification.