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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.

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NASA NTRS1972

Star sensor/mapper with a self deployable, high-attenuation light shade for SAS-B

A star sensor/mapper to determine positional data for the small astronomy satellites was tested to detect stars of plus 4 visual magnitude. It utilizes two information channels with memory so that it can be used with a low-data-rate telemetry system. One channel yields star amplitude information; the other yields the time of star occurrence as the star passes across an N-slit reticle/photomultiplier detector system. Some of the features of the star sensor/mapper are its low weight of 6.5 pounds, low power consumption of 0.4 watt, bandwidth switching to match the satellite spin rate, optical equalization of sensitivity over the 5-by-10 deg field of view, and self-deployable sunshade. The attitude determination accuracy is 3 arc minutes. This is determined by such parameters as the reticle configuration, optical train, and telemetry readout. The optical and electronic design of the star sensor/mapper, its expansion capabilities, and its features are discussed.

Schenkel, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Results from computer program for analyzing scattered light suppression systems for large space telescope

A computer program was developed which has the ability to analyze the performance of most light suppression systems so as to predict the amount of scattered light which will reach the image plane for various conditions of unwanted light input from the sun, earth, or moon. This program was used to analyze three different configurations of the large space telescope (LST): an LST with a truncated sunshield, an LST with an extended cylindrical sunshield, and an LST with a conical sunshield which is tilted upwards. The computer program gives the user detailed information as to the paths taken by the unwanted stray light to reach the image plane, and pinpoints those portions of the light suppression system which contribute most of the stray light, so that areas requiring improvements are evident. Certain design guide lines were formulated for any light suppression system selected for the LST, and one which meets these requirements (the tilted sunshade) is described in detail.

Tifft, W. G.↗

NASA NTRS1975

The use of solar simulation systems for producing artificial global radiation for the purpose of determining the heat load of rooms

Certain climatic tests which require solar and sky radiation were carried out in the laboratory by using simulated global radiation. The advantages of such a method of measurement and the possibilities and limitations resulting from the simulation of global radiation are described. Experiments concerning the thermal load in rooms were conducted in order to test the procedure. In particular, the heat gain through a window with sunshade is discussed, a venetian blind between the panes of a double-glazed window being used in most cases.

Kalt, A. C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

The Skylab Parasol

An alternate thermal protection system for the Skylab space station cluster was deemed necessary shortly after launch when severe damage occured to the orbital workshop as it passed through the period of maximum dynamic pressure. Data indicated that the combination micrometeoroid and thermal shield on the sun facing side of the vehicle had been destroyed. The simultaneous design, fabrication, and test of the Skylab Parasol System which was completed in 6 days of around-the-clock effort is described. The Skylab Parasol design was selected as the primary sunshade device based on simplicity of design, ability to fabricate quickly, and early demonstration of a working prototype which featured semiautomatic deployment from within the workshop under shirt sleeve environment conditions.

Kinzler, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Aerosol size distributions - Remote determination from air-borne measurements of the solar aureole

Aerosol-size distributions were determined remotely using an airborne scanning photometer. This instrument consists of a sunshade, optics, and a large-dynamic-range photodetector-amplifier system that scans about the vertical, recording both the direct attenuated solar beam and the diffuse sky radiance in the almucantar of the sun at an effective wavelength of 0.54 micron. Inversion of the measured radiances determined aerosol radii from approximately 0.2 to 8.0 microns. Data were taken during flights over western Lake Superior and southwestern Wisconsin. Inverted aerosol-size distributions are compared with results obtained by other methods.

Twitty, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Construction in space - Toward a fresh definition of the man/machine relation

The EVA (extravehicular activity) project forming part of the space construction process is reviewed. The manual EVA constuction, demonstrated by the crew of Skylab 3 by assembling a modest space structure in the form of the twin-pole sunshade, is considered, indicating that the experiment dispelled many doubts about man's ability to execute routine and contingency EVA operations. Tests demonstrating the feasibility of remote teleoperator rendezvous, station keeping, and docking operations, using hand controllers for direct input and television for feedback, are noted. Future plans for designing space construction machines are mentioned.

Watters, H. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Contamination control of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite, to be launched in August 1981, will perform an all-sky survey in the 8-120 micron wavelength region. High sensitivity to thermal radiation and the low operating temperature of optics and thermal control surfaces make the IRAS telescope extremely vulnerable to contamination. Four special topics of importance are discussed in this paper: (1) deposition of atmospheric gases; (2) sighting of particles released from the satellite; (3) functions of a deployable aperture cover; and (4) degradation of a radiatively cooled sunshade from spacecraft outgassing. These topics demonstrate how mission strategy, ground cleaning and handling, and hardware design are used to avoid contamination which would degrade telescope performance.

Andreozzi, L. C.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Three-dimensional analysis of charging events on days 87 and 114, 1979, from SCATHA

Angular distributions of ions and electrons from the Spacecraft Charging at High Altitudes (SCATHA) were investigated for the floating potential and the differential charging of the spacecraft as deduced from Liouville's theorem. The following was found: (1) short time charging events on the spacecraft are associated with short time increases of the intensity of 10 keV to 1 MeV electrons; (2) short time changes of the spacecraft differential potential are associated with simultaneous short time changes of the spacecraft floating potential; (3) solar UV intensities in penumbra anticorrelate with the spacecraft floating potentials; (4) NASCAP predicts correct forms of sunshade asymmetric surface potentials; (5) certain enhancements of the intensity of energetic ions diminishes the absolute value of the spacecraft surface potential; (6) spacecraft discharging events in times shorter than 20 sec did not change in the spectrum of the energetic plasma; (7) partial discharging of the spacecraft occurred upon entry into a magnetically depleted region; and (8) steady state potentials and transient potentials of duration less than 30 seconds are simulated by the NASCAP code.

Saflekos, N. A.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Baffle system employing reflective surfaces

Reflective baffles are proposed to reject off-axis light entering a telescope. Toroidal surfaces and adjacent cones are positioned so that off-axis rays make multiple reflections between these two surfaces. Meridional rays are reflected approximately parallel to the entering direction. Skew rays are reflected obliquely, but leave the telescope aperture. The range of incident angles for which these reflections are obtained is approximately 45 deg. A system is described that is designed specifically for the Space Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Because of its reflective properties, the proposed baffle system rejects about 90 deg of the heat load from the SIRTF sunshade that would be absorbed in systems of conventional black baffles.

Linlor, W. I.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Electrically conductive black optical paint

An electrically conductive flat black paint has been developed for use on the Galileo spacecraft which will orbit Jupiter in the late 1980s. The paint, designed for equipment operating in high-energy radiation fields, has multipurpose functions. Its electrical conductivity keeps differential charging of the spacecraft external surfaces and equipment to a minimum, preventing the buildup of electrostatic fields and arcing. Its flat black aspect minimizes the effects of stray light and unwanted reflectances, when used in optical instruments and on sunshades. Its blackness is suitable, also, for thermal control, when the paint is put on spacecraft surfaces. The paint has good adherence properties, as measured by tape tests, when applied properly to a surface. The electrically conductive paint which was developed has the following characteristics: an electrical resistivity of 5 x 10 to the 7th ohms per square; a visual light total reflectance of approximately 5 percent; an infrared reflectance of 0.13 measured over a spectrum from 10 to the (-5.5) power to 0.001 meter; a solar absorptivity, alpha-s, of 0.93, and a thermal emissivity, epsilon, of 0.87, resulting in an alpha-s/epsilon of 1.07. The formula for making the paint and the process for applying it are described.

Birnbaum, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Study of an all SFHE SIRTF cryogenic system

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) is a superfluid helium cooled, 85-cm telescope with three infrared instruments at the focal plane. SIRTF will establish in space a long-term-maintainable infrared observatory for the region of 2-700 microns. The cryogenic system can be designed to last up to six years with 1280 kg of superfluid, and can function in either a 28.5 deg or 98 deg inclination orbit by exchanging the sunshade. The lifetime is primarily a function of instrument heat load rather than parasitic heat to the cryogen system.

Urbach, A. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Long-term performance of the passive thermal control systems of the IRAS spacecraft

Degradation of passive thermal control systems in space is a matter of serious concern and has been observed in many missions. The performance of the passive thermal control systems of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) over a period of three years is reported here. An exterior temperature of 200 K and a sunshade temperature of approximately 100 K were maintained over this period without significant degradation. The temperature of the telescope contained in the IRAS cryostat was also observed for two years after expenditure of the helium cryogen. It remained at 100 K with no degradation.

Mason, P. V.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Thermal re-design of the Galileo spacecraft for a Venus-earth-earth-gravity assist (VEEGA) trajectory

The cancellation of the Centaur upper stage program in the aftermath of the Challenger tragedy forced a redesign of the flight trajectory of the Galileo spacecraft to Jupiter, i.e., from a direct trajectory to the Venus-earth-earth-gravity-assist (VEEGA) trajectory on the lower energy two-stage inertial upper stage (IUS), with the result that the spacecraft would be exposed to more than twofold increase in peak solar irradiance. This paper describes the general system-level thermal redesign effort for the Galileo spacecraft, from the start of feasibility studies to its final implementation. Results indicate that the addition of sunshades and the generous utilization of second-surface aluminized Kapton surface material for reflecting high percentages of incident solar irradiation would 'harden' the spacecraft's existing thermal protection system adequately, provided that sun-pointing at the relatively higher solar irradiance levels could be maintained. The final miximum flight temperature predictions for the spacecraft's subsystem thermal designs are given.

Reeve, R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Concepts and analysis for precision segmented reflector and feed support structures

Several issues surrounding the design of a large (20-meter diameter) Precision Segmented Reflector are investigated. The concerns include development of a reflector support truss geometry that will permit deployment into the required doubly-curved shape without significant member strains. For deployable and erectable reflector support trusses, the reduction of structural redundancy was analyzed to achieve reduced weight and complexity for the designs. The stiffness and accuracy of such reduced member trusses, however, were found to be affected to a degree that is unexpected. The Precision Segmented Reflector designs were developed with performance requirements that represent the Reflector application. A novel deployable sunshade concept was developed, and a detailed parametric study of various feed support structural concepts was performed. The results of the detailed study reveal what may be the most desirable feed support structure geometry for Precision Segmented Reflector/Large Deployable Reflector applications.

Miller, Richard K.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A ten-meter optical telescope for deep-space communications

Optical communications using laser light in the visible spectral range is being considered for future deep-space missions. Such a system will require a large telescope in earth vicinity to be used as a receiving station for data return from the spacecraft. A preliminary discussion for a ground-based receiving station consisting of a 10-meter hexagonally segmented primary with high surface tolerance and a unique sunshade is presented.

Shaik, Kamran↗

NASA NTRS1991

The Precision Segmented Reflector program - On-orbit thermal behavior of the Submillimeter Imager and Line Survey telescope

The Precision Segmented Reflector program and the Submillimeter Imager and Line Survey mission are overviewed. The temperature requirements, thermal design and environment, as well as the on-orbit thermal performance of a 3.65-m-diameter passively-cooled submillimeter-wavelength telescope are discussed, and focus is placed on the geometric and thermal mathematical models employed in the study. Attention is given to an inflatable space-rigidized sunshade protecting the primary mirror thermally and the highly elliptical orbit chosen to reduce heat input from the earth. Primary-reflector temperature predictions are shown to indicate that a large spatial gradient can exist and the magnitude of the gradient is a strong function of the telescope pitch angle. It is suggested that the cryostat outer-shell temperature may be further lowered with the introduction of a rectangular shield between a solar array and the cryostat.

Tsuyuki, G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Thermal investigation of a large lunar telescope

Recent interest in construction of a large telescope on the lunar surface (Nein and Davis, 1991; Bely, Burrows, and Illingworth, 1989) has prompted this feasibility study of a thermal control system for a 16 meter diameter telescope located near the lunar equator. In addition to detailed analyses for a telescope located in a flat area near the equator, the thermal effect of locating the telescope in a crater, on a hill, and at higher latitude sites is discussed. Because an unprotected telescope experiences a wide range of temperature swings, several thermal protection schemes have been examined, including domes, sunshades, and ground shields to limit the temperature excursions of the primary mirror. Results of these analyses indicate that mirror temperature excursions can be limited to less than 100 Kelvin (K) per lunar cycle with an appropriate passive thermal protection system (dome), and that the telescope primary mirror can be maintained at less than 100 K for at least 7 days of each lunar cycle. However, such a dome precludes observations during the lunar day. Mirror temperature excursions can be reduced by incorporating thermal enclosures or shades in the design or by placing the telescope at a higher latitude.

Walker, Sherry T.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Progress on ten-meter optical receiver telescope

A ten-meter hexagonally segmented Cassegrain optical telescope is being considered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for use as a research and development facility for optical communications technology. The goal of the study is to demonstrate technology which can eventually be used to develop a network of such telescopes to continuously track and communicate with the spacecraft. Hence, the technology has to be economical enough to allow replication for a ground or space based network. As we need to collect signal photons only, the telescope cost can be substantially reduced by accepting lower image quality. An important design consideration for the telescope is its ability to look very close to the sun. The telescope for optical communications must function during the daytime. Indeed, for some planetary missions it may be necessary that the system be capable of looking within a few degrees of the sun. To enable this, a unique sunshade consisting of hexagonal tubes in precise alignment with the mirror segments has been proposed which will also serve as the support for the secondary. Recent progress on the design and analysis of such an optical reception station is discussed here.

Shaik, Kamran↗