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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Properties of large nearly perfect crystals at very low temperatures

A liquid helium cryostat of a size and construction unavailable commercially, was built for use in measuring the Q of several materials at milli-Kelvin temperatures. The design and testing of the cryostat is described as well as the design of the experiment vacuum chamber and adaptor for the dilution refrigerator insert. Theory, design, and testing are also discussed for the magnetic coils built to levitate the materials so as to isolate them and increase the measured Q. A four point suspension with capacitor end plates as the transducer was used to obtain preliminary Q measurements of 6061 aluminum alloy and single crystal silicon. Results are tabulated.

Davis, W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Ambient and cryogenic temperature testing of a 32-channel CMOS multiplexer

A 32 channel CMOS multiplexer was tested at room temperature and at liquid helium temperature (4.9 K). Voltage gain of the FET input stage, leakage current, electrical crosstalk, and noise as a function of clock frequency were measured. The voltage gain measured at 4.9 K was slightly higher than that measured at 300 K and was independent of clock frequency at both operating temperatures. The off channel leakage current was 0.23 pA/channel at 4.9 K. Electrical crosstalk between adjacent channels (one on, one off) was quite low. The spot noise at 10 Hz, of the CMOS multiplexer operating in the static mode did not vary significantly with operating temperature. In the dynamic mode (3.2 kHz clock) at room temperature, the spot noise at 10 Hz was substantially higher than that measured in the static mode.

Lee, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Observations of the infrared fine-structure lines of S III at 18.71 and 33.47 microns in four H II regions

Infrared fine-structure lines provide a particularly useful probe of ionized nebulae. The present investigation is concerned with measurements of the forbidden S III lines at 18.71 and 33.47 micrometers for four H II regions, S158A, S158G, G75.84+0.4, and W3 IRS 1. These lines are used to estimate densities, and comparisons are made with rms densities determined from radio observations to evaluate the importance of clumping. For the case of the optical H II region S158A, comparisons are made with both optical and forbidden O III line determinations of the density. The reported observations were made using a dual-grating, liquid-helium-cooled spectrometer containing a three-element Si:Sb detector array and a three-element Ge:Ga detector array. It is found that clumping is important in the cases of G75.84+0.4, W3 IRS 1, and M42. These three H II regions have filling factors of 0.024, 0.09, and 0.03, respectively.

Herter, T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Far-infrared spectrophotometer for astronomical observations

A liquid-helium-cooled far infrared spectrophotometer was built and used to make low resolution observations of the continua of several kinds of astronomical objects using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. This instrument fills a gap in both sensitivity to continuum sources and spectral resolution between the broadband photometers with lambda/Delta lambda approximately 1 and spectrometers with lambda/Delta lambda greater than 50. While designed primarily to study planetary nebulae, the instrument permits study of the shape of the continua of many weak sources which cannot easily be observed with high resolution systems.

Moseley, H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Development and evaluation of integrated infrared arrays for astronomical applications

The status of a technology program to evaluate existing infrared detector arrays, and to develop improved ones for low background astronomical applications, is described. For applications such as the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility, arrays that cover as much of the 1-1000 micron range as possible are of interest. Low background test results for a 2 x 64 Si:Bi charge-injection-device, and 1 x 20 InSb charge-coupled-device arrays, are included. As a result of the present testing, improved, astronomy-optimized extrinsic silicon arrays in both linear and area formats are planned. Efforts to develop accumulation mode MOSFETs specifically for liquid helium temperatures, and cryogenic amplifier and multiplexer circuits, are discussed.

Mccreight, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A large aperture balloon-borne telescope for a submillimeter wavelength survey of the galactic plane

A balloon-borne, 1.2 meter Cassegrain telescope with a servo-controlled chopping secondary mirror has been developed and used to survey the Galactic Plane at submillimeter wavelengths. The telescope pointing system uses a gyroscope as the primary stabilization reference and makes use of microprocessors for pointing control, on-board data collection, and telemetry formatting. A description of the telescope, multi-channel liquid-helium-cooled focal plane and the aspect and orientation subsystems are presented.

Silverberg, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

History, status and future applications of spaceborne cryogenic systems

Cryogenic cooling is employed for an increasing number of space instruments. Cryogenic cooling is needed to provide the required detector response, reduce preamplifier noise, and/or reduce background radiation. Cryogenic cooling is required by instruments employed for applications missions, gamma-ray and X-ray astronomy, cosmic ray measurements, space surveillance, IR astronomy, relativity measurements, superconductivity devices, and basic research experiments. The cooling is provided with the aid of radiant coolers, stored solid cryogen coolers, stored liquid-helium coolers, mechanical coolers, He-3 coolers, adiabatic demagnetization, refrigeration, and higher temperature adsorption and magnetic systems. Radiant coolers will continue to find widespread application for low cooling-load/high-temperature situation. It is pointed out that a long-lifetime closed-cycle, mechanical cooler is one of the most critical space technological needs.

Sherman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

NASA needs and trends in cryogenic cooling

Projected NASA needs in spaceborne cryogenic systems and recent results of NASA cryogenic cooling technology efforts in infrared astronomy, X-ray astronomy, gamma ray astronomy, liquid helium and space stations are discussed.

Sherman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design of an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator for studies in astrophysics

An adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator was designed for cooling infrared bolometers for studies in astrophysics and aeronomy. The design was tailored to the requirements of a Shuttle sortie experiment. The refrigerator should be capable of maintaining three bolometers at 0.1 K with a 90% cycle. The advantage are of operations the bolometer at 0.1K. greater sensitivity, faster response time, and the ability to use larger bolometer elements without compromising the response time. The design presented is the first complete design of an ADR intended for use in space. The most important of these specifications are to survive a Shuttle launch, to operate with 1.5 K - 2.0 K space-pumped liquid helium as a heat sink, to have a 90% duty cycle, and to be highly efficient.

Castles, S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Magnetic suspension and balance system study

A compact design for a superconducting magnetic suspension and balance system is developed for a 8 ft. x 8 ft. transonic wind tunnel. The main features of the design are: a compact superconducting solenoid in the suspended airplane model; permanent magnet wings; one common liquid helium dewar for all superconducting coils; efficient new race track coils for roll torques; use of established 11 kA cryostable AC conductor; acceptable AC losses during 10 Hz control even with all steel structure; and a 560 liter/hour helium liquefier. Considerable design simplicity, reduced magnet weights, and reduced heat leak results from using one common dewar which eliminates most heavy steel structure between coils and the suspended model. Operational availability is thought to approach 100% for such magnet systems. The weight and cost of the magnet system is approximately one-third that of previous less compact designs.

Boom, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Strategy for the IRAS all-sky survey

IRAS (the Infrared Astronomical Satellite) was launched on January 25, 1983 (January 26 GMT) with the primary purpose of performing an infrared survey of the entire celestial sphere. To ensure completeness and reliability, every point of sky was to be covered by a minimum of four separate scans of the telescope field-of-view, and as much as possible with six, with certain added timing constraints on the elapsed interval between scans. These strong requirements for sky coverage, combined with a restricted, rotating viewing-window, made extensive planning for the survey strategy, both pre-launch and during operations, a necessity. The result was that on November 21 (November 22 GMT), when the liquid helium required for cooling was depleted, 96 percent of the sky was covered to the minimum depth of four and 71 percent was coverd to depth six or more.

Lundy, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Positional repeatability measurements of stepper motors at cryogenic temperatures

For cryogenically-cooled infrared instruments and telescopes employed in space, reliable and predictable motor operations at 4 K in vacuum are in most cases necessary. For the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), stepper motors may be employed in a number of applications. A test facility was designed and built for measuring stepper motor positional repeatability, in vacuum, over a temperature range from ambient to liquid helium temperature. Tests regarding positional repeatability were conducted at different motor speeds, directions of motor rotation, step sizes, and power conditions. In addition, tests were performed with respect to the ability of the motor to remain in a position with no power applied to the motor.

Pompea, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) mission

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) consists of a spacecraft and a liquid helium cryostat that contains a cooled IR telescope. The telescope's focal plane assembly is cooled to less than 3 K, and contains 62 IR detectors in the survey array which are arranged so that every source crossing the field of view can be seen by at least two detectors in each of four wavelength bands. The satellite was launched into a 900 km-altitude near-polar orbit, and its cryogenic helium supply was exhausted on November 22, 1983. By mission's end, 72 percent of the sky had been observed with three or more hours-confirming scans, and 95 percent with two or more hours-confirming scans. About 2000 stars detected at 12 and 25 microns early in the mission, and identified in the SAO (1966) catalog, have a positional uncertainty ellipse whose axes are 45 x 9 arcsec for an hours-confirmed source.

Neugebauer, G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

New black paint for cryogenic infrared applications

A black paint has been developed and tested for cryogenic applications involving wavelengths beyond 10 microns. The paint has been used extensively for liquid helium cooled applications in a variety of instruments operating between 10 and 120 microns. The material is applied by brush over a spray or brush applied primer coat. A final covering is applied by either brush or spray. The composition and preparation of the paint are described, as are data about its outgassing properties. Infrared reflection and scattering data obtained by other groups which compare this material to other commercially available surface preparations are presented.

Houck, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Optical contacting for gravity probe star tracker

A star-tracker telescope, constructed entirely of fused silica elements optically contacted together, has been proposed to provide submilliarc-second pointing accuracy for Gravity Probe. A bibliography and discussion on optical contacting (the bonding of very flat, highly polished surfaces without the use of adhesives) are presented. Then results from preliminary experiments on the strength of optical contacts including a tensile strength test in liquid helium are discussed. Suggestions are made for further study to verify an optical contacting method for the Gravity Probe star-tracker telescope.

Wright, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A Far Infrared Echelle Spectrometer for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory

A liquid-helium-cooled grating spectrometer (CGS) is being developed as a facility instrument for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO), primarily to study for infrared lines originating in the interstellar medium. A maximum resolving power of approximately 6000 is achieved by means of a 45 cm long Echelle grating and is optically capable of operating in the spectral range from 25 to 300 microns. An array of detectors is used to simultaneously measure a line and the adjacent continuum from astronomical sources. Currently six detectors allow measurements in the 30 to 120 micron spectral band. The instrument, its operation, and its performance are described.

Erickson, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Superconducting electromagnetic actuators for astronomical Fabry-Perot interferometers

Two types of superconducting electromagnetic actuators linear and angular - for precise control of Fabry-Perot spectrometer etalons at liquid helium temperature were manufactured and tested successfully. The linear displacement unit (45 Newtons/Amp) has maximum travel of + or - 44 microns with off-axis deviation of less than 1.5 arcseconds for 15 microns path. The angular unit has maximum tilt of + or - 8 arcminutes and can maintain parallelism of two etalons to better than 0.3 arcsecond of angle by compensating the differential contraction upon cooling and off-axis deviation of the linear displacement unit. These actuators are proving especially useful in low temperature infrared instrumentation where other choices, such as piezoelectric crystals, fail and where essentially zero power dissipation permits low infrared backgrounds to be maintained along with long cryogenic lifetimes.

Nishimura, T.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Ultra-low-noise, high-impedance preamp for cryogenic detectors

A relatively simple room-temperature preamp design that satisfies both the low-noise and wideband requirements for the InSb Putley-mode detector and which is based on a common-drain JFET input, is presented. The design has an input capacitance of 28 pf which is much less than comparably noisy common-source amplifiers. It can be used for preamplification of 0.1 to 10 MHz signals from liquid-helium-cooled radiation detectors.

Brown, E. R.↗