The integration of the launch vehicle and the payload model and the subsequent computations to obtain payload load are expensive and time-consuming. These difficulties preclude the use of exact structural loads analysis in the early design stages where frequent design changes are occurring. Therefore, approximate methods have been employed during the early design/analysis process. A recovered transient analysis technique is proposed in the present study wherein the results of a previous launch vehicle/payload system can be used to obtain the necessary information of a new payload structure to be launched by an identical launch vehicle. The payload is supported in a statically determinate manner in the present study. The advantage of the proposed method is that the complete design/analysis process can be performed within the payload organization and achieve the same accuracy as that of the full-scale, multiorganization loads analysis. Also, the flight measured interface accelerations can be used as the forcing functions for more realistic representations of the dynamic environments. The method is applied to a real complex payload structure.

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The Gaussian beam technique has become increasingly popular for wideband beam waveguide (BWG) design. However, it is observed that the Gaussian solution is less accurate for smaller mirrors (approximately < 30A in diameter). Therefore, a high-performance wideband BWG design cannot be achieved by using the Gaussian beam technique alone. This article demonstrates a new design approach by iterating Gaussian beam and BWG parameters simultaneously at various frequencies to obtain a wideband BWG. The result is further improved by comparing it with physical optics results and repeating the iteration.