Aerospace & Spacecraft Acoustic Testing: MSI-DFAT® is primarily used for the acoustic qualification of spacecraft, including satellites, space telescopes, lunar landers, lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs), rocket fairings, space stations, and more.

Vibro-Acoustic Testing: The MSI-DFAT MP™ series Noise Generation Systems (NGS) and Noise Control Systems (NCS) are designed for high-intensity vibro-acoustic testing of aerospace structures and components, simulating the harsh acoustic environment during rocket launches.

Spacecraft Components & Payloads: DFAT® is used to test proto-flight and flight units, satellite buses, solar panels, reflectors, crew modules, and service modules to ensure they can withstand the extreme acoustic conditions of space launches.

Cost-Effective Alternative to Reverb Chambers: DFAT® provides an economical and superior alternative to traditional reverberant chamber tests (RAFT or RFAT) for the space industry, offering high efficiency, flexibility, and reduced testing costs.

MSI-DFAT offers Direct Field Acoustic Testing (DFAT®) as-a-service, providing fast, flexible, and cost-effective acoustic testing solutions for aerospace and spacecraft components. Our systems, custom-designed and optimized for aerospace applications, offer precision and reliability in simulating the extreme acoustic environments encountered during rocket launches.

Rapid Deployment & Testing: Our DFAT® service typically requires only 3-4 days for setup, testing, and teardown. We bring all necessary equipment to your location, eliminating the need for specialized infrastructure. The test can be completed in as little as 1 day of testing, minimizing downtime and accelerating your testing timeline.

Modular & Scalable Solutions: The MSI-DFAT system is highly adaptable and scalable, making it suitable for a wide range of test articles, from small components to large spacecraft. We can accommodate test items ranging from the size of a microwave oven to over 60 feet tall, with configurable loudspeaker setups to meet your specific needs.

Comprehensive Acoustic Testing: Our systems can generate acoustic noise levels exceeding 150 dB, simulating rocket launch conditions across a broad frequency range (less than 20 Hz to 30 kHz). This high output allows us to test components under the extreme conditions that they would experience during actual space missions.

Portable & Cost-Effective: Our mobile testing solution eliminates the need for costly facilities or extensive infrastructure investments. The lightweight design of our systems (weighing only 300-370 lbs per unit) reduces transportation costs and promotes sustainability by lowering fuel consumption and emissions during transport.

Proven Expertise & Reliability: MSI-DFAT brings over 16 patents and extensive experience in aerospace acoustic testing, ensuring high-quality, precise testing. Our equipment is built for reliability and rigorously tested to withstand demanding aerospace environments, ensuring consistent performance throughout the testing process.

Flexible Service Options: We offer DFAT® as a service with flexible rental or purchase agreements, allowing you to choose the best option based on your needs. Our expert audio engineers operate the systems, ensuring accuracy and efficiency with minimal client training required.

Global Availability & Support: MSI-DFAT systems are available worldwide, with comprehensive support services for setup, operation, and maintenance, ensuring maximum system effectiveness and longevity.
Applications:

Spacecraft & Satellites: Testing space components, such as satellites, space telescopes, and lunar landers, to ensure they can withstand the acoustic stress of rocket launches.

Aerospace Components: Qualifying rocket fairings, engines, crew modules, and payloads to endure launch vibrations and extreme noise levels.

Space Exploration Vehicles: Testing space vehicles like lunar terrain vehicles and space stations for their ability to survive high-intensity acoustic environments during missions.

MSI-DFAT’s service offers a comprehensive, efficient, and sustainable solution for high-intensity aerospace testing, providing flexibility, accuracy, and significant cost savings compared to traditional testing methods.

MSI-DFAT offers both Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) and custom-built solutions for direct field acoustic noise testing. Our systems are highly scalable and modular, enabling customization to meet the specific needs of each testing application. We can tailor setups to accommodate a wide range of sizes, from small components like microwave-sized articles to large-scale structures exceeding the size of a school bus. Our systems can be configured for testing articles ranging from 8 feet tall to over 60 feet tall, and acoustic outputs from 120 dB to over 150 dB. Customization of loudspeakers, configurations, and noise control systems can be accommodated within the standard product pricing, while highly specialized designs or extreme configurations may incur additional costs.

MSI-DFAT systems have been integral to the acoustic testing and qualification of over 230 spacecraft and satellites. With more than 275 years of combined engineering experience in spacecraft acoustic testing, we have consistently provided accurate and reliable results since 1999. Our long-term clients include prominent manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman (Orbital ATK), BAE Space & Mission Systems (Ball Aerospace), ITT, Sandia National Labs, and NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). Notable projects include the NASA Mars Rover, Deep Impact, Artemis Orion Crew Module and Service Module, SpaceX Crew Dragon, and CloudSat. Our work supports manufacturers creating spacecraft for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), commercial industries, and government missions.

MSI-DFAT operates a dedicated manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Maryland, where we design and assemble our Noise Generation Systems (NGS) in-house. This allows us to maintain full control over production, ensuring superior quality, precision, and attention to detail. Our Made-in-USA approach offers faster manufacturing, reduced lead times, and cost-efficient production.

The MP series loudspeakers, including the MP-21™ and MP-150™, are built using premium materials for durability. The cabinets are made from void-free Baltic birch, coated with catalyzed urethane for added ruggedness, and metal components are finished with a polyurethane powder coating for extra protection. This ensures the loudspeakers can withstand the harsh conditions of aerospace testing.

MSI-DFAT also keeps over 700 ready-to-use loudspeakers in inventory, allowing for quick delivery and immediate availability for testing needs.

Our streamlined cabling system improves efficiency by using easy-to-manage connections that minimize clutter and enable quick setup, reducing downtime and allowing clients to focus on performance.

The MP series speakers are capable of generating frequencies from below 20 Hz to 30 kHz, surpassing the range of standard concert speakers, which typically cover only 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This extended frequency range enables MSI-DFAT systems to recreate the full spectrum of launch noise, providing the most realistic and comprehensive acoustic testing environment for spacecraft and aerospace components.

By controlling manufacturing and using advanced materials, MSI-DFAT ensures its systems meet the high-quality, reliability, and performance standards required for aerospace testing.

MSI-DFAT systems are engineered to meet industry-leading qualification standards and launch authority guidelines, ensuring they are capable of performing under the rigorous conditions encountered during aerospace and spacecraft testing. Our systems are built to comply with the most stringent testing and qualification requirements, including those set forth by MIL-STD 810, NASA Handbook 7010, and Ariane 6, among others.

1. MIL-STD 810 (Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests)
MIL-STD 810 is a series of U.S. military standards that outlines environmental test methods and criteria for equipment to ensure its operational reliability in extreme conditions. MSI-DFAT systems are designed and tested to comply with various test methods within MIL-STD 810.

2. NASA Handbook 7010 (Spacecraft Environmental Testing)
NASA Handbook 7010 is a critical guideline for the qualification of spacecraft and satellite systems. It outlines the testing procedures necessary to simulate the harsh environmental conditions faced by spacecraft during launch, transit, and in-orbit operations. MSI-DFAT systems are designed to meet NASA’s rigorous acoustic and vibro-acoustic testing requirements, which are critical to ensuring the structural integrity and survivability of spacecraft.

Acoustic Testing (Section 7.3): MSI-DFAT’s Noise Generation Systems are engineered to generate high-intensity sound levels across a wide frequency range, exceeding the standards required by NASA for simulating the acoustic noise environments encountered during launch. Our systems are designed to generate noise levels up to 150 dB, and with a frequency range from <20 Hz to 30 kHz, they can replicate the diverse range of frequencies that spacecraft experience during launch.

3. Ariane 6 Acoustic Qualification Guidelines
Ariane 6 is a European space launch vehicle, and its qualification guidelines include specific criteria for acoustic testing of payloads. MSI-DFAT systems are designed to meet these standards, ensuring that our noise generation equipment can simulate the conditions experienced during the Ariane 6 launch, particularly the intense acoustic energy generated by the rocket’s engines and exhaust.

4. Custom Qualification Procedures
In addition to meeting these established industry standards, MSI-DFAT is flexible in accommodating client-specific testing requirements and can adapt our systems to meet unique mission or launch authority needs. Whether it’s adjusting acoustic profiles, custom designing test scenarios, or tailoring test setups, MSI-DFAT’s systems can be customized to fulfill specific mission requirements.

MSI-DFAT systems are not classified as dual-use and are eligible for global shipment and use, in compliance with United States international trade regulations and standards. All exports are conducted in accordance with applicable U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Customers are responsible for ensuring compliance with any specific export restrictions or licensing requirements that may apply to their jurisdiction or intended use.

MSI-DFAT has a trusted international network of distributors, value-added resellers (VARs), and channel partners across various global regions. In South Korea, our products are serviced by VMV Tech, which can be found at https://www.vmv-tech.com/en. For additional information or to inquire about distributors in other regions, please contact us at [email protected].

As a trusted partner in acoustic testing for the space industry, MSI-DFAT has completed over 230 direct field acoustic tests and installed DFAT equipment and systems worldwide. Our referenceable customers for acoustic testing services include prominent companies such as Leidos Dynetics, United Launch Alliance, Northrop Grumman, BAE Space & Mission Systems, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Maxar, and many others. For DFAT equipment and system installations, our referenceable customers include Centro Italiano di Ricerca Aerospaziale (CIRA), INVAP, and Sandia National Labs, among others.