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NASA NTRS1989

The Long Duration Exposure Facility material experiments

In the early 1970s, the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) approved the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) Project. The LDEF project provided NASA and other U.S. and foreign research organizations with opportunities to perform critical technology and science experiments in space using the LDEF and the Space Shuttle. Many of the experiments which were developed and are flying on the first LDEF mission are experiments to investigate the effects of the space environment on materials. An overview is provided for these materials experiments. The LDEF was placed in orbit by the shuttle orbiter Challenger in April 1984, and it was to have been retrieved approximately 1 year later. The Challenger accident, however, has delayed the retrieval more than 4 years. The LDEF retrieval is now manifested on Flight 32 in July 1989. Since the facility and experiments will have been in space almost 5-1/4 years when they are retrieved, they will be a national trove of science and technology data.

Kinard, William H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

COLD-SAT orbital experiment configured for Atlas launch

The design and requirements for the proposed cryogenic on-orbit liquid depot storage, acquisition, and transfer (COLD-SAT) satellite experiment, which is to be launched by Atlas I, are examined. The COLD-SAT experiments are categorized as class I and II; class I involves technology related to space transportation missions and class II represents alternative fluid management operations and data. The hardware for the COLD-SAT experiments consists of three hydrogen tanks contained in the experimental module; the experimental module is connected to a three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus, and thrusters are positioned on the forward and aft ends of the spacecraft and on the cylindrical portion of the experimental module. The components and systems of the experiment module and the types of experiments that can be conducted in each tank are described. Diagrams of the spacecraft configuration are provided.

Shuster, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Extravehicular activity welding experiment

The In-Space Technology Experiments Program (INSTEP) provides an opportunity to explore the many critical questions which can only be answered by experimentation in space. The objective of the Extravehicular Activity Welding Experiment definition project was to define the requirements for a spaceflight experiment to evaluate the feasibility of performing manual welding tasks during EVA. Consideration was given to experiment design, work station design, welding hardware design, payload integration requirements, and human factors (including safety). The results of this effort are presented. Included are the specific objectives of the flight test, details of the tasks which will generate the required data, and a description of the equipment which will be needed to support the tasks. Work station requirements are addressed as are human factors, STS integration procedures and, most importantly, safety considerations. A preliminary estimate of the cost and the schedule for completion of the experiment through flight and postflight analysis are given.

Watson, J. Kevin↗

NASA NTRS1989

Onorbit electron beam welding experiment definition

The proposed experiment design calls for six panels to be welded, each having unique characteristics selected to yield specific results and information. The experiment is completely automated and the concept necessitated the design of a new, miniaturized, self-contained electron beam (EB) welding system, for which purpose a separate IR and D was funded by the contractor, Martin Marietta Corporation. Since future tasks beyond the proposed experiment might call for astronauts to perform hand-held EB gun repairs or for the gun to be interfaced with a dexterous robot such as the planned flight telerobotic servicer (FTS), the EB gun is designed to be dismountable from the automated system. In the experiment design, two separate, identical sets of weld panels will be welded, one on earth in a vacuum chamber and the other onorbit in the aft cargo bay of an orbiter. Since the main objective of the experiment is to demonstrate that high quality welds can be achieved under onorbit conditions, the welds produced will be subjected to a wide range of discriminating non-destructive Q.C. procedures and destructive physical tests. However, advantage will be taken of the availability of a fairly large quantity of welded material in the two series of welded specimens to widen the circle of investigative talent by providing material to academic and scientific institutions for examination.

William H. Hooper↗

NASA NTRS1990

Remote Manipulator System (RMS)-based Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) flight experiment feasibility study

The feasibility of an experiment which will provide an on-orbit validation of Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) technology, was investigated. The experiment will demonstrate the on-orbit characterization and flexible-body control of large flexible structure dynamics using the shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS) with an attached payload as a test article. By utilizing existing hardware as well as establishing integration, operation and safety algorithms, techniques and procedures, the experiment will minimize the costs and risks of implementing a flight experiment. The experiment will also offer spin-off enhancement to both the Shuttle RMS (SRMS) and the Space Station RMS (SSRMS).

Demeo, Martha E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Controls, Astrophysics, and Structures Experiment in Space (CASES)

As the size and performance requirements of future NASA and DOD spacecrafts and payloads tend to increase, the associated control systems that must effect these requirements tend to interact with the vehicle's structural dynamics. Some of the Control Structure Interaction (CSI) issues are being addressed in a flight experiment which is entitled CASES (Controls, Astrophysics and Structures Experiment in Space). As one of the first CSI flight experiments, the main emphasis for CASES is to provide a test bed for validating CSI developments and simultaneously, to pave the way for subsequent CSI experiments and science missions by establishing precedents for flight qualifying Large Space Structures (LSS)-class spacecraft. In addition, CASES provides an opportunity to obtain data bases for in-space controls and structures experiments and, at the same time, to gather hard x ray data from pertinent galactic sources.

Waites, Henry B.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Fluid Phase Separation (FPS) experiment for flight on a space shuttle Get Away Special (GAS) canister

The separation of fluid phases in microgravity environments is of importance to environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) and materials processing in space. A successful fluid phase separation experiment will demonstrate a proof of concept for the separation technique and add to the knowledge base of material behavior. The phase separation experiment will contain a premixed fluid which will be exposed to a microgravity environment. After the phase separation of the compound has occurred, small samples of each of the species will be taken for analysis on the Earth. By correlating the time of separation and the temperature history of the fluid, it will be possible to characterize the process. The experiment has been integrated into space available on a manifested Get Away Special (GAS) experiment, CONCAP 2, part of the Consortium for Materials Complex Autonomous Payload (CAP) Program, scheduled for STS-42. The design and the production of a fluid phase separation experiment for rapid implementation at low cost is presented.

Peters, Bruce↗

NASA NTRS1989

The MSAT-X MARECS B2 satellite experiment - Ground segment results

The results of a recently completed satellite experiment employing the JPL MSAT-X developed land-mobile satellite communication terminal are described. In this experiment, a full duplex 4800-b/s digital data and voice communication link was established through the INMARSAT Marecs B2 satellite between Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Southbury, Connecticut. A series of experiments was performed to characterize the terminal performance over this link. The basic experimental setup and the preliminary results of the speech and data experiments are presented. The satellite environment proved to be near to what was expected, and as a result the experimental results were very close to theory/simulation/laboratory experiments. It was found that the ground-to-ground communication links were more benign links than the ground-to-air and air-to-ground links, and this is reflected in the improved margins for the ground-to-ground links (approximately 5 dB versus 3.2 dB for the aeronautical links).

Jedrey, Thomas C.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Low-gravity experiment sensitivity to residual acceleration - A review

Work related to the analysis of experiment sensitivity to residual acceleration experienced in LEO spacecraft is reviewed. Most of the work discussed concerns heat, mass, and momentum transfer in fluid physics and materials science experiments. On the basis of the current understanding of experiment sensitivity, it is concluded that, in general, experimenters should be concerned about the effect of residual acceleration, and that careful modeling included as part of an experiment program will enable optimal use of the limited experiment time available in space.

Alexander, J. Iwan D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

One-way return-link Doppler navigation with the Tracking and Data Satellite System (TDRSS) - The ultrastable oscillator (USO) experiment on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)

The principal objectives of the USO experiment on the COBE spacecraft are defined, and results of space qualification studies for the COBE USO experiment are summarized. The principal objectives of the experiment are: (1) to determine flight performance of the USO coupled to the second-generation TDRSS transponder; (2) space qualify TDRSS noncoherent one-way return-link Doppler tracking; and (3) analyze algorithms for one-way navigation with real data. The three objectives of the experiment have been met in the first stage of the experiment analysis.

Dunham, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Technology for the Future: In-Space Technology Experiments Program, part 1

The purpose of the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) In-Space Technology Experiment Program (In-STEP) 1988 Workshop was to identify and prioritize technologies that are critical for future national space programs and require validation in the space environment, and review current NASA (In-Reach) and industry/university (Out-Reach) experiments. A prioritized list of the critical technology needs was developed for the following eight disciplines: structures; environmental effects; power systems and thermal management; fluid management and propulsion systems; automation and robotics; sensors and information systems; in-space systems; and humans in space. This is part one of two parts and is the executive summary and experiment description. The executive summary portion contains keynote addresses, strategic planning information, and the critical technology needs summaries for each theme. The experiment description portion contains brief overviews of the objectives, technology needs and backgrounds, descriptions, and development schedules for current industry, university, and NASA space flight technology experiments.

Breckenridge, Roger A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The COLD-SAT experiment for cryogenic fluid management technology

The COLD-SAT spacecraft design experiments are described. COLD-SAT will be placed into an initial 1300 km circular orbit by an Atlas commercial launch vehicle. Electric power, experiment control and data management, attitude control, and propulsive accelarations for the experiments will be provided by the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus. To provide data on the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved, low levels of accelaration will be created. The COLD-SAT experiment will be configured into a module. The spacecraft experiment module will include three liquid hydrogen tanks; fluid transfer, pressurization and venting equipment; and instrumentation. Since the largest tank has helium-purged MLI to prevent ingress and freezing of air on the launchpad, it will contain all the liquid hydrogen at the point of launching. The hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas will load and top off this tank. Atlas, with its liquid hydrogen upper stage, large payload fairing, and large launch margin, simplifies COLD-SAT design and integration.

Schuster, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Radiometric investigation of the wake flow of the forthcoming Aeroassist Flight Experiment

This paper describes the rationale for conducting the proposed radiation measurement in the afterbody region of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) vehicle, the results of the calculations of expected radiation intensities performed to date, and the instrumentation for the measurement. The experiment, named the Afterbody Radiometry Experiment (ARE), is one of the experiments that will be carried on board the AFE vehicle. The paper collates the existing experimental data to show the possibility that there may be substantial radiative heating of the afterbody region of an Aeroassisted Space Transfer Vehicle, which necessitates an experiment of the kind proposed. Calculations of the radiative heating rate to the base of the AFE are, qualitatively, in fair agreement with previous experimental work, which indicated that the radiative heating of the base is about 5 percent of that at the stagnation point.

Strawa, A. W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE): Science and technology objectives

The Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) is an approved NASA Space Shuttle space flight experiment to be launched in Jul. 1993. The SAMPIE experiment is designed to investigate the interaction of high voltage space power systems with ionospheric plasma. To study the behavior of solar cells, a number of cell coupons, representing technologies of current interest, will be biased to high voltages to characterize both negative potential arcing and positive potential current collection. Additionally, various theories of arc suppression will be tested by including several specially modified cell coupons. Finally, SAMPIE will include experiments to study the basic nature of these interactions. The rationale for a space flight experiment, the measurements to be made, the significance of the expected results, and the current design status of the flight hardware are described.

Hillard, G. Barry↗

NASA NTRS1992

A spaceflight experiment to investigate the effects of a range of unilateral blue light phototropic stimulations on the movements of wheat coleoptiles (6-IML-1)

In 1978, in response to an announcement of opportunity by NASA, two independent groups proposed related investigations to study the response of seedling plants to photostimulations at microgravity. The spaceflight experiment is known by its NASA acronym, FOTRAN. The scientific objectives behind the experiment are outlined, and a brief description of the spaceflight equipment and the experimental procedures developed to accomplish the aims of the experiment are presented. By reference to the results of ground-based studies, the likely scientific returns of the FOTRAN experiment will be assessed. The experiment is designed to investigate the effects of a range of blue light stimulations on the movements of wheat coleoptiles at zero-g. The seedlings will be dark-grown, and their movements assessed from infrared time-lapse video recordings made during flight. The photostimulus may be expected to modulate circumnutations of the coleoptiles, by synchronizing, initiating or amplifying these rhythmic movements, and to initiate the classic phototropic response.

Heathcote, David G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Phase partitioning experiment (8-IML-1)

Phase partitioning is a method of separating biological cells and macromolecules via their differential distribution in two phase aqueous polymer solutions. The ultimate goal of the experiment is to test the hypothesis that the efficiency of separation of closely related cell types, by partitioning in immiscible aqueous phases, will be enhanced in the non-convective environment provided by space. Before a cell separation experiment can be performed, the demixing of immiscible aqueous polymer solutions must be understood and controlled in order to optimize the experimental conditions for a cell separation experiment in the future. The present Phase Partitioning Experiment (PPE) is the third in a series, the first two flew on STS 51-D in Apr. 1985 and STS 26 in Oct. 1988. In those experiments the immiscible aqueous phases demixed spontaneously at different rates, the final disposition being one in which the phase which wetted the container wall surrounded the second phase which formed an 'egg yolk' in the center of the chamber.

Brooks, Donald E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

High pressure experiments with a Mars general circulation model

The interaction of three physical processes will determine the stability of the Martian polar caps as the surface pressure increases: the greenhouse effect, atmospheric heat transport, and the change in the CO2 frost point temperature. The contribution of each is readily determined in the Mars general circulation model (GCM). Therefore, we have initiated experiments with the GCM to determine how these processes interact, and how the atmosphere-polar cap system responds to increasing surface pressure. The experiments are carried out for northern winter solstice and generally assume the atmosphere to be free of dust. Each experiment starts from resting isothermal conditions and runs for 50 Mars days. Mars' current orbital parameters are used. The experiments are for surface pressures of 120, 480, and 960 mb, which represent 16, 64, and 128 times the current value. To date we have analyzed the 120 mb experiment and the results indicate the contrary to the simpler models, the polar caps actually advance instead of retreat. Other aspects of this investigation are presented.

Haberle, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Long Duration Exposure Facility M0003-5 thermal control coatings on DoD flight experiment

The M0003-5 thermal control coatings and materials orbited on the LDEF M0003 Space Environment Effects on Spacecraft Materials were a part of a Wright Laboratories Materials Directorate larger experiment. They were selected from new materials which emerged from development programs during the 1978-1982 time frame. Included were materials described in the technical literature which were being considered or had been applied to satellites. Materials that had been exposed on previous satellite materials experiments were also included to provide data correlation with earlier space flight experiments. The objective was to determine the effect of the LDEF environment on the physical and optical properties of thermal control coatings and materials. One hundred and two specimens of various pigmented organic and inorganic coatings, metallized polymer thin films, optical solar reflectors, and mirrors were orbited on LDEF. The materials were exposed in four separate locations on the vehicle. The first set was exposed on the direct leading edge of the satellite. The second set was exposed on the direct trailing edge of the vehicle. The third and fourth sets were exposed in environmental exposure control canisters (EECC) located 30 degrees off normal to the leading and trailing edges. The purpose of the experiment was to understand the changes in the properties of materials before and after exposure to the space environment and to compare the changes with predictions based on laboratory experiments. The basic approach was to measure the optical and physical properties of materials before and after long-term exposure to a low earth orbital environment comprised of UV, VUV, electrons, protons, atomic oxygen, thermal cycling, vacuum, debris, and micrometeoroids. Due to the unanticipated extended orbital flight of LDEF, the thermal control coatings and materials in the direct leading and trailing edge were exposed for a full five years and ten months to the space environment and the canister materials were exposed for approximately one year to the full environment.

Hurley, Charles J.↗