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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 NTRS1980

Design of infrared astronomical satellite /IRAS/ primary mirror mounts

The design of an operational mount to rigidly secure the primary mirror to its baseplate without the introduction of figure error always proves to be a major task on diffraction limited optical systems. A summary of the design of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) primary mirror mount is given. The mirror was designed to be alligned and tested at room temperature and operated in a zero 'g' field at temperatures of 2K. To minimize overstressing, a stiffness requirement of greater than 150 Hz was required for cold launch and room temperature vibration acceptance testing. Additional isolation was required to minimize strains, introduced via the mounting base, due to thermal and mechanical distortions.

Schreibman, M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Infrared Astronomical Satellite /IRAS/ and Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility /SIRTF/ - Implications of scientific objectives on focal plane sensitivity requirements

The full potential of infrared astronomy can be realized only through observations made with space-based telescopes cooled to cryogenic temperatures. The paper outlines the scientific mission, system description, and focal plane requirements for two cryogenic telescopes: the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). IRAS, a 60-cm superfluid-helium-cooled telescope system, will perform a one-year 8-120-micron IR sky survey; it will provide results of high reliability and sensitivity, produce the first complete survey data for the 30-120-micron region, and fill in missing portions (spectrally and spatially) of previous surveys short of 30 microns; its focal plane assembly is being designed to approach background-limited performance with an array of 62 discrete detectors. The SIRTF design will allow detailed follow-up studies in the 1-1000-micron range with a 116-160-cm observatory-class instrument. The Shuttle sortie capability introduces the unique SIRTF concept of an easily refurbishable or replaceable focal plane instrument complement in an orbiting cryogenic telescope.

Mccreight, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Report of the Joint Scientific Mission Definition Team for an infrared astronomical satellite

The joint effort is reported of scientists and engineers from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States working as a team for the purpose of exploring the possibility of a cooperative venture. The proposed mission builds upon experience gained from the successful Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS). This satellite will be in a polar orbit at an altitude of 900 km. It will carry an 0.6 m diameter telescope cooled with helium to a temperature near 10K. An array of approximately 100 detectors will be used to measure the infrared flux in four wavelength bands centered at 10, 20, 50, and 100 microns. Sources will be located on the sky with positional accuracy of 1/2 arcminute. The instrument should be able to investigate the structure of extended sources with angular scales up to 1.0 deg. The entire sky will be surveyed and the full lifetime of the mission of about one year will be necessary to complete the survey. Special observational programs will also be incorporated into the mission.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1981

Radiation studies of optical and electronic components used in astronomical satellite studies

The synchronous orbit of the IUE carries the satellite through Earth's outer electron belt. A 40 mCi Sr90 source was used to simulate these electrons. A 5 mCi source of Co60 was used to simulate bremmstrahlung. A 10 MeV electron Linac and a 1.7 MeV electron Van de Graaf wer used to investigate the energy dependence of radiation effects and to perform radiations at a high flux rate. A 100 MeV proton cyclotron was used to simulate cosmic rays. Results are presented for three instrument systems of the IUE and measurements for specific components are reported. The three instrument systems were the ultraviolet converter, the fine error sensor (FES), and the SEC vidicon camera tube. The components were optical glasses, electronic components, silicon photodiodes, and UV window materials.

Becher, J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) analysis, appendix B

Analytical results derived during the development of the PADE program are presented. Near field on-axis diffraction from a circular aperture is analyzed by integrating Kirchhoff's formula, the boundary wave formulation, and the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld theory. Far field on-axis diffraction from obliquely illuminated apertures is described using the angular spectrum approach. Transmission functions and diffracted fields for rectangular, circular, and rotated square apertures are presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) analysis, appendix C. APART: A first-order deterministic stray radiation analysis program

The APART code (Arizona's Analysis of Radiation Transfer) is a deterministic stray radiation analysis program capable of yielding quantitative descriptions of systems along with insight into the scattering mechanism present. It uses geometrical optics to image primarily rotationally symmetrical systems. The APART code provides a sectional power map of the internal surfaces of a system and identifies critical objects seen from the image. Vane structures are modeled by configuration factors. Once the geometrical configuration factor between the internal objects has been calculated and stored, nonstructural changes to the system can be analyzed without re-running the complete program.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1980

Stray light in the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

Changes made to the telescope and critical objects considered in modeling these changes into the APART program are described. The optical system was analyzed for scattered light, diffracted then scattered radiation, and thermally emitted radiation. The damaged area of the primary to mirror was also examined. Results are presented in tables and graphs.

Lange, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Progress report on the infrared astronomical satellite cryogenic system

The main cryogen tank is sized to hold 70 kg of superfluid helium with 12 percent ullage at a temperature of 1.8 K. The insulation system surrounds the main cryogen tank with four blankets of multilayer insulation spaced by means of three vapor-cooled shields. It is noted that the multilayer insulation is 6.4 micron double-aluminized Mylar separated by polyester net. The main shell provides the primary structural integrity of the system. In orbit the main shell is cooled to 170 K using insulation blankets on one side and second surface paint on the opposite side. The aperture cover subassembly is the vacuum seal for the main shell during operation on the ground. It is also a gas condensation trap before and during cooldown of the main cryogen tank during launch hold. It contains 6 kg of supercritical helium, which permits 14 days on orbit with a 48-hour launch pad hold.

Urbach, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Cryogenic infrared imaging beryllium telescope for Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

The IRAS mission is the result of an international project involving the cooperation of the U.S., the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The Infrared Astronmical Satellite was placed into orbit on January 25, 1983. Its main function is to provide a survey of the entire sky as viewed in four octaves of infrared radiation in the wavelenth region from 8 to 120 microns. The cylindrical structure of the satellite contains a large dewar vessel with 70 liters of superfluid helium. The helium has the function to maintain the contents of the vessel at 2.5 K for the duration of the mission. The IRAS optics is a Ritchey-Chretien telescope of 24 inches aperture. Because of the operational requirements of the mission, it had been specified that all optical components should be beryllium. Attention is given to the cold performance test conducted with IRAS, plans for future infrared telescopes, and reflectance limits.

Devereux, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Infrared and visible detector electronics for the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

The paper describes the detectors, preamplifiers, and processing electronics; the system characterization test methods and results; and the performance of the detectors and electronics during the first month of on-orbit operation of the IRAS telescope. The Focal Plane Array (FPA) consists of 62 IR channels and 8 visible channels operating at 2.5 K. The IR detectors are grouped in eight 7 or 8 channel staggered linear subarrays with shared bias voltage; the visible detectors are grouped in two 4 channel skewed arrays, also with shared bias. Each channel detector is dc coupled to a TIA preamplifier through a very low power thermally isolated JFET source follower operating at about 65 K within the FPA housing. The visible channel detectors are ac coupled to TIA preamplifiers and signal chain electronics using MOSFET source followers operating at about 2.5 K within the FPA housing. The detectors, preamplifiers, analog electronics, and grounding are discussed as they evolved and were implemented during FPA retrofit, telescope integration, and preparation for launch.

Langford, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Test results and in-orbit operation of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite circumvention circuit

The IRAS circumvention circuit (CC) eliminates the unwanted charged-particle pulses from the IR signal. The operation of the CC along with preflight and in-orbit testing is described. Ground testing of the brassboard circuit using a simulated preamplifier output showed that the CC would perform the circumvention function as designed. When all flight detectors and preamplifiers became available, the CC was tested using a gamma source to simulate charged-particle sources; with the low energy deposited in the detectors (20 keV average) the noise was reduced by up to 5 times with the CC turned on. In-orbit results show that the CC decreases the unwanted charged-particle background noise by up to two orders of magnitude. The difference in the results with the CC on and off is so great that the science team has recommended that no data be taken with the CC off.

Long, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The infrared astronomical satellite asteroid database

The creation, maintenance, and distribution of the set of ground-based observational data being used to help calculate the diameters and albedos of asteroids observed by IRAS during the sky survey of February-November 1983 are discussed in a status report. The database comprises orbital elements, absolute magnitudes, UBV colors, thermal radiometry, light-curve parameters, and taxonomic classifications; supplementary files include eight-color photometry, spectrophotometry, polarimetry, JHK observations, proper elements, discovery data, occultation diameters, radar characteristics, and references. Distribution in machine-readable and hard-copy formats and maintenance of the database by incorporating new data as they are published are planned.

Tedesco, E. F.↗