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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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At least 415 records · Page 23

Precision machining of steel decahedrons

Production of highly accurate decahedron prisms from hardened stainless steel is discussed. Prism is used to check angular alignment of mounting pads of strapdown inertial guidance system. Accuracies obtainable using recommended process and details of operation are described. Photographic illustration of production device is included.

Abernathy, W. J.↗

The Delta and Thor/Agena launch vehicles for scientific and applications satellites.

Description of the Delta Model 904 and the Thor/Agena Model 9A4 scientific and applications satellite launch vehicles, with projections of future growth and launch costs. These launch vehicles are shown to offer scientific and applications satellite mission planners a broad spectrum in performance capabilities together with unprecedented mission flexibility. Depending on the mission, these two medium class launch vehicles can be configured on the new universal boattail (UBT) Thor booster in either two or three stages with thrust augmentation of the UBT ranging from three to nine strap-on solid propellant motors. Both vehicles incorporate strapdown inertial guidance systems that allow flexible mission programming by computer so ftware changes rather than by adjustments.

Gunn, C. R.↗

Trajectory description

The Mariner 9 spacecraft was launched by an Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle (AC-23) on a direct-ascent trajectory from the Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR) launch complex 36B on May 30, 1971. Liftoff occurred at 22 h 23 min 04.5 s GMT, slightly more than 6 min after the opening of a 60-min launch window. The vehicle rose vertically for approximately 15 s, during which time, a programmed roll to a launch azimuth of 92.74 deg was performed. After the initial vertical rise, the vehicle, guided by the open-loop Atlas autopilot, began to pitch over into a zero-lift trajectory. The first of three main powered phases was terminated by booster engine cutoff (BECO) at 22 h 25 min 35.5 s. After the Atlas booster engine package was jettisoned 3 s later, the flight continued under the power of the Atlas sustainer engine and guided by the Centaur guidance system operating in a closed-loop mode.

Webb, W. A.↗

The Delta launch vehicle Model 2914 series

Description of a new, medium-class Delta launch-vehicle configuration, the three-stage Model 2914. The first stage of this vehicle is composed of a liquid-propellant core which is thrust-augmented with up to nine strap-on solid-propellant motors. The second stage, recently uprated with a strap-down inertial guidance system, is now being modified to adapt the liquid-propellant descent engine from the Apollo Lunar Excursion Module. The third stage is a spin-stabilized solid-propellant motor. The Model 2914 is capable of injecting 2040 kg into low earth orbit, 705 kg into geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 455 kg into an escape trajectory.

Gunn, C. R.↗

Guiding of a balloon-borne coronagraph

Discussion of the guidance system of a balloon-borne coronagraph designed for IR solar corona observations at an altitude of 36 km. The coronagraph has two telescopes, measures 6 m in length, weighs 73 kg, is stabilized by a three-axis system, and has a pointing precision of plus or minus 10 sec of arc. Three torque motors are used to activate the tracking servo system of the coronagraph. An integral control system is used to prevent a permanent instrumental error. The coronagraph has been tested in two balloon missions.

Li, T.-C.↗