Evaluation of spacecraft modal test methods

Modal testing methods have undergone great changes in recent years as new testing methods are being created. Although devoted advocates of each method can be found to argue the relative advantages and disadvantages, the general superiority, if any, of one or the other is not yet evident. The present paper evaluates various modal testing methods based on the results of tests performed on a complex, realistic spacecraft structural system. It concludes that the selection of a modal testing method should be determined by the test requirement, constraints, and nature of the test article.