Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Shutter”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

Design of an atmospheric sounding radiometer for the GOES meteorological satellite system

An advanced version of the visible infrared spin scan radiometer onboard U.S. geostationary operational environmental satellites was developed to add a vertical dimension to the instrument's infrared atmospheric images. Through the addition of twelve selectable narrow band filters and more precise in-flight calibration of the infrared detectors, the VISSR atmospheric sounder (VAS) will provide increased data to help determine the Earth's atmospheric temperature and water vapor distribution. The radiometer design, filter wheel, calibration shutter mechanisms, and their preflight test performance are discussed.

Jensen, R. G.↗

Vapors-liquid phase separator

The use of porous plugs, mostly with in the form of passive devices with constant area were considered as vapor-liquid phase separators for helium 2 storage vessels under reduced gravity. The incorporation of components with variable cross sectional area as a method of flow rate modification was also investigated. A particular device which uses a shutter-type system for area variation was designed and constructed. This system successfully permitted flor rate changes of up to plus or minus 60% from its mean value.

Frederking, T. H. K.↗

Solar panel thermal cycling testing by solar simulation and infrared radiation methods

For the solar panels of the European Space Agency (ESA) satellites OTS/MAROTS and ECS/MARECS the thermal cycling tests were performed by using solar simulation methods. The performance data of two different solar simulators used and the thermal test results are described. The solar simulation thermal cycling tests for the ECS/MARECS solar panels were carried out with the aid of a rotatable multipanel test rig by which simultaneous testing of three solar panels was possible. As an alternative thermal test method, the capability of an infrared radiation method was studied and infrared simulation tests for the ultralight panel and the INTELSAT 5 solar panels were performed. The setup and the characteristics of the infrared radiation unit using a quartz lamp array of approx. 15 sq and LN2-cooled shutter and the thermal test results are presented. The irradiation uniformity, the solar panel temperature distribution, temperature changing rates for both test methods are compared. Results indicate the infrared simulation is an effective solar panel thermal testing method.

Nuss, H. E.↗

Multi-channel chopper system for a total ozone mapping spectrometer

A multi-channel chopper system designed and built to stringent specifications is providing an excellent performance for a total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS). State of the art machining technology, suitable material selection, and a way to hold and position the slit plate resulted in the instrument's better than expected performance. A shutter method used for internal calibration allows compensation for the occurrence of an unlikely wavelength shift during testing, launch, or during the orbiting life of the instrument. The TOMS is part of a payload on Nimbus 7 launched on October 24, 1978.

Krueger, A. J.↗

Evaluation of anti-freeze viscosity modifier for potential external tank applications

Viscosity modifiers and gelling agents were evaluated in combination with ethylene glycol and dimethyl sulfoxide water eutectics. Pectin and agarose are found to gel these eutectics effectively in low concentration, but the anti-freeze protection afforded by these compositions is found to be marginal in simulations of the intended applications. Oxygen vent shutters and vertical metallic surfaces were simulated, with water supplied as a spray, dropwise, and by condensation from the air.

Lynn, R. O. L.↗

Short interval testing of solar cells

A drawback of conventional electrical evaluation procedures regarding solar cells is related to time consuming operations required in the determination of specific parameters, such as the maximum power point, from the plotted curves, and to the transfer of data to a large digital computer for analysis and manipulation. This is especially true when large numbers of cells must be measured. To overcome such drawbacks, a digital short interval tester was designed and constructed. The new tester provides rapid and accurate measurements at constant temperature. The utilization of a light shutter makes it possible to measure up to 200 data points along the I-V curve in less than a second, thus avoiding thermal effects. Because the system is digital, parameters such as the maximum power may be calculated directly from the data.

Saylor, C. R.↗

A pulse-forming network for particle path visualization

A procedure is described for visualizing nonsteady fluid flow patterns over a wide velocity range using discrete nonluminous particles. The paramount element responsible for this capability is a pulse-forming network with variable inductance that is used to modulate the discharge of a fixed amount of electrical energy through a xenon flashtube. The selectable duration of the resultant light emission functions as a variable shutter so that particle path images of constant length can be recorded. The particles employed as flow markers are hydrogen bubbles that are generated by electrolysis in a water tunnel. Data are presented which document the characteristics of the electrical circuit and establish the relation of particle velocity to both section inductance and film exposure.

Mcalister, K. W.↗

Voyager spacecraft images of Jupiter and Saturn

The Voyager imaging system is described, noting that it is made up of a narrow-angle and a wide-angle TV camera, each in turn consisting of optics, a filter wheel and shutter assembly, a vidicon tube, and an electronics subsystem. The narrow-angle camera has a focal length of 1500 mm; its field of view is 0.42 deg and its focal ratio is f/8.5. For the wide-angle camera, the focal length is 200 mm, the field of view 3.2 deg, and the focal ratio of f/3.5. Images are exposed by each camera through one of eight filters in the filter wheel on the photoconductive surface of a magnetically focused and deflected vidicon having a diameter of 25 mm. The vidicon storage surface (target) is a selenium-sulfur film having an active area of 11.14 x 11.14 mm; it holds a frame consisting of 800 lines with 800 picture elements per line. Pictures of Jupiter, Saturn, and their moons are presented, with short descriptions given of the area being viewed.

Birnbaum, M. M.↗

Fluid/Vapor Separator for Variable Flow Rates

Shutter varies gas throughput of porous plug. Variable area exposed on porous plug allows to pass varying rates of vapor flow while blocking flow of liquid helium II from cryogenic bath. Applications in refining operations, industrial chemistry, and steam-powered equipment.

Lee, J. M.↗

Thematic mapper flight model preshipment review data package. Volume 4: Appendix. Part E: Electronics module data

Tests to verify the as-designed performance of all circuits within the thematic mapper electronics module unit are described. Specifically, the tests involved the evaluation of the scan line corrector driver, shutter drivers function, cal lamp controller function, post amplifier function, command decoder verification unit, and the temperature and actuator controllers function.

Source record↗

High speed, low cost, LEO-thermal-cycling facility

The design and operations of a low cost, high rate thermal cycling facility designed for LEO conditions is described. Thermal cycling facilities were constructed with various design criteria. Some were designed to duplicate as closely as possible the conditions a cell or module would encounter while in orbit about the Earth. A typical facility to perform this type of cycling was a large vacuum system with liquid nitrogen cooled walls. The cells were heated by an AMO spectrum solar simulator, then a shutter was closed allowing the cells to give up their heat to the cold walls. This system was good at duplicating the orbital conditions but was slow and very costly to operate. Other systems used a gas atmosphere and heated the cells with radiant heat and cooled the cells by moving them into close proximity to a cold plate. The systems greatly increased the cycle times. Other systems moved the heating and cooling atmosphere into and out of the test areas and achieved reasonable cycle rates. All these systems, however, are expensive to operate.

Hart, R. E., Jr.↗

Thermal Band Characterization of LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper

A quick look monitor in the spacecraft control center was used to measure the TM Band 6 shutter background and the 34.7 C internal blackbody signal on over 50 dates. Comparison of relative internal gains between the four channels to prelaunch values showed changes over 9 months of up to 5%, while 512 x 512 subsections of the original 10 daytime scenes showed scene counts that ranged from 135 down to 62. A night scene of the Buffalo area was used to determine channel gain relative to the mean and to discern a systematic along scan pattern in a difference between forward and reverse scan counts of up to 0.5. A corrected digital image was produced and individual gains and offsets were calculated for the four channels. At satellite radiance was determine and noise equivalent temperature difference was calculated. The calibration data and the Buffalo scene, with the corrections and estimates of the atmospheric transmission and radiance, were used to make a temperature estimate for an area of Lake Erie of 21 C to 27 C. Local records of the temperature showed 21 C.

Lansing, J. C.↗

Identification of active faults in enlarged stereo models of Skylab S-190B photographs

Most of the physiographic indicators of recent movement known to be present along the Indio Hills segment of the San Andreas fault zone can be identified on enlarged Skylab S-190B stereo photographs. These include offset streams, beheaded streams, offset fans, shutter ridges, linear valleys, scarps and vegetation anomalies. Where physiographic indicators of recent movement are present, the S-190B system affords the necessary resolution and stereoscopy for distinguishing activate from inactive faults.

Merifield, P. M.↗

Simple collimator for use with diamond-anvil cells in a synchrotron beam

A simple double-slit system is described which allows a synchrotron beam to be collimated onto a small sample (approximately 150-micron diameter) in a diamond-anvil cell using remote control. The apparatus can be constructed easily and inexpensively, and allows the shutter positions to be monitored accurately using readily available electronic equipment. A desirable feature of the collimator is the relatively small time needed for adjustment.

Spain, I. L.↗

Characterization of CNRS Fizeau wedge laser tuner

A fringe detection and measurement system was constructed for use with the CNRS Fizeau wedge laser tuner, consisting of three circuit boards. The first board is a standard Reticon RC-100 B motherboard which is used to provide the timing, video processing, and housekeeping functions required by the Reticon RL-512 G photodiode array used in the system. The sampled and held video signal from the motherboard is processed by a second, custom fabricated circuit board which contains a high speed fringe detection and locating circuit. This board includes a dc level discriminator type fringe detector, a counter circuit to determine fringe center, a pulsed laser triggering circuit, and a control circuit to operate the shutter for the He-Ne reference laser beam. The fringe center information is supplied to the third board, a commercial single board computer, which governs the data collection process and interprets the results.

Source record↗

Sintered plug flow modulation of a vapor-liquid phase separator for a helium II vessel

Presented is a system for modulation of a superfluid (helium II) flow in a vapor-liquid phase separator, for use in cryogenic storage tanks in future space missions. The system consists of a semicircular mechanically operated shutter, downstream of the separator plug, rotated at 0.1 rpm to control the operational surface area of the separator. The mass flow rate was varied from 10 to 22 mg/s. Pressure gradients across the plug are also discussed.

Frederking, T. H. K.↗

Postlaunch corrections for Thematic Mapper 5 (TM-5) radiometry in the Thematic Mapper Image Processing System (TIPS)

The paper discusses postlaunch corrections made to the calibration lamp radiance values for band 3 of TM-5 (Thematic Mapper instrument on Landsat-5). It is hypothesized that the low in-orbit temperatures have caused the shutter arm to contract slightly, causing the detectors to view the lamps through different parts of the lens system. Owing to unevenness in the lenses this is introducing an odd-even channel discrepancy in the computed gains, resulting in striped imagery. The process used to compute the new values is presented along with supporting data and the old and new radiance numbers. The new values solve the relative radiometric correction problem of striping. However, the effect on the absolute radiometric correction performance is not quantitatively known.

Singh, A.↗

Secure Disposal Container for Classified Papers

Meshing steel combs retain papers when container overturned. Comblike shutters installed on hinges near deflectors. If container is upright, combs hang vertically and out of way. When container is tipped or overturned, gravity forces one or both of combs to fall over opening. When this happens, teeth intermesh and container opening covered, preventing its contents from falling out.

Collins, Earl R., Jr.↗