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Saenger, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Saenger, G..

Proposal for a conceptually new compact collecting optics for powerful light sources

Testing of a spacecraft under simulated outer space conditions is the best guarantee for a successful mission, and for almost all of the parameters a good match (to within a few percent) may be reached in relevant test facilities (e.g., IR background, earthshine and albedo radiation, residual atmosphere, intensity stability, distribution and spectrum of the solar radiation). The collimation angle of the sun (32 arc min) is, however, a drastic exception, here only + or - 1.5 to 2 deg are achieved which means a relative deviation by nearly one order of magnitude. The main reason for this is the presently used collecting optics having unnecessary large diameters. Here a lens-mirror combination is proposed which allows the reduction of the diameter by nearly a factor of two and to achieve with the present Xenon arc lamps a collimation angle of + or - 0.8 deg.

Saenger, G.↗

A new type of lamp and reflector for I.R. simulation

The lamps and reflectors used for infrared radiation simulation tests at ESTEC did not allow researchers to predict the intensity needed for test conditions with the desired accuracy. This was due to poor reproducibility of the polar diagrams, the unknown contribution of the radiation in the long wavelength range in vacuum, imperfections in the quartz bulbs, and misalignment of the lamp in the reflector. When using a 1000 W coiled spiral quartz lamp with a diffuse reflector, these shortcomings are overcome. Due to the good reproducibility, an overall accuracy within plus or minus 2 percent should be obtained.

Saenger, G.↗

Leak detector for spacecraft testing with high accuracy

It is convenient to measure the leak rate of spacecraft when the spacecraft is kept in its container and the increment of tracer gas, mostly noble gases, in the container air is measured as function of time. In order to meet the specification of the new voluminous spacecraft, a leak detector with high accuracy is required. This is made difficult, because of the natural abundance of noble gases in air, which mean a considerable background exists. A leak detector is described which allows the measurement of an increment of the concentration of a few % using reference gas.

Saenger, G.↗