Meet the REXUS team: VIPER

"To see our idea grow from sketches to a rocket launch will truly be an unforgettable journey." VIPER team

The VIPER (Vibro-mechanical and Inertial Positioning Experiment on Rocket) mission involves three concurrent experimental campaigns, designed to address key challenges related to: launch vehicle structural dynamics, payload performance and navigation technologies.

The first experimental campaign, dedicated to dynamic system characterization, focuses on the analysis of the variation of modal frequencies and mode shapes of the REXUS launch vehicle throughout its flight envelope. This is done by deploying an array of sensors along the main axis of the sounding rocket in order to record data necessary for conducting Operational Modal Analysis (OMA). Monitoring these shifting dynamics is crucial for verifying the accuracy of predictive models and remains for optimization of the structural design.

The second experimental campaign is focused on developing vibration mitigation strategies for payload systems, with a strong emphasis on CubeSat integration. The objective of this experiment is to identify and validate effective solutions for minimizing vibrational loads transmitted to payloads by testing innovative materials and optimized structural junctions. The data acquired will provide the basis for optimizing CubeSat qualification protocols while ensuring compliance with industry standards for launch vehicle compatibility.

Finally, the last experiment involves the development and validation of a distributed Inertial Navigation System (INS). This system uses an array of inertial sensors and incorporates noise reduction algorithms to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the navigation solution during dynamic flight phases with the main objective being the augmentation of the produced estimate position for real-time navigation applications.

The experiments are developed entirely by a team of 14 students from Sapienza University of Rome and Roma Tre University in Rome, Italy, part of the Sapienza Space System and Space Surveillance Laboratory (S5Lab) and the Structural Dynamics Laboratory (SDL). Student enrolment ranges from first year master’s courses in Space and Astronautical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering to 3 students currently enrolled in the Aeronautical and Space Engineering PhD program.

VIPER experiment in a nutshell