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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 19 records

Lunar mass spectrometer test program

The procedures used and the results are described, which were obtained in a test program to demonstrate the performance of a candidate lunar mass spectrometer. The instrument was designed to sample and measure gases believed to exist in the lunar atmosphere at the surface. The instrument consists of a cold cathode ion source, a small quadrupole mass analyzer, and an off-axis electron multiplier ion-counting detector. Instrument resolution, sensitivity, and S/N ratio were demonstrated over the mass range 0-150 amu and over a partial pressure range from ntorr to ptorr. The subject analyzer was also prepared for extended testing, in conjunction with two other candidate instruments, in a large molecular beam vacuum facility.

Torney, F. L.↗

Wind tunnel mass spectrometer design study

The sampling probe to measure the free stream gas composition in a hypersonic wind tunnel is described. Using a free expansion of the continuum flow, a series of sampling inlet-pumping stages is evaluated. Mass analysis is carried out with a quadrupole mass spectrometer employing a crossed electron beam, molecular beam ion source, and an off-axis electron multiplier. The spatial distribution of the sampled molecular flux and the pumping requirements are evaluated for varying inlet conditions of gas density and flow velocity. The signal-to-noise ratio of the molecular beam formed by this series of coaxial inlets is also determined. The signal-to-noise ratio of the unscattered flux is sufficiently high that an unambiguous determination of the beam composition and of the free stream gas properties can be made. The magnitude of the detected signal is sufficiently high that measurement of trace constituents two orders of magnitude below the primary beam signal can be made.

Hueser, J. E.↗

A capacitive accelerometer suitable for telemetry

The design and development of a miniature 0.635 cm (0.25 in.) diameter capacitive accelerometer for use in free flight wind tunnel telemetry are presented. Instruments with full scale ranges from + or - 1 to + or - 200 g were constructed, calibrated, and used in several wind tunnel telemetry projects. Flat, high frequency response from 0 to 1000 Hz or more was obtained by employing the inherent damping and stiffness in the air film surrounding the diaphragm-type spring that supports the inertial mass of the accelerometer. Design features to achieve minimum off-axis sensitivity and temperature stability are discussed, and the design requirements for use of the transducer with telemetry systems are derived. A transducer capacitance change of 0.16 pF full scale gave excellent resolution and provided a frequency deviation of 0.75 MHz for a 100 MHz FM oscillator. Although the present design of the capacitive accelerometer was optimized by using units of 0.635 cm diameter, construction of experimental accelerometers as small as 0.36 cm (0.14 in.) diameter has demonstrated the feasibility of further miniaturization.

Coon, G. W.↗

Extreme ultraviolet solar images televised in-flight with a rocket-borne SEC vidicon system.

A TV image of the entire sun while an importance 2N solar flare was in progress was recorded in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation band 171-630 A and was transmitted to ground from an Aerobee-150 rocket on Nov. 4, 1969 using S-band telemetry. The camera tube was a SEC vidicon, with its fiber optic faceplate coated with an XUV-to-visible conversion layer of p-quaterphenyl. The XUV passband was produced by three 1000-A thick aluminum filters in series together with the platinized reflecting surface of the off-axis paraboloid that imaged the sun. A number of images were recorded with integration times between 1/30 sec and 2 sec. Reconstruction of pictures was enhanced by combining several to reduce the noise.

Tousey, R.↗

The normalization of solar X-ray data from many experiments.

A conversion factor is used to convert Geiger (GM) tube count rates or ion chamber currents into units of the incident X-ray energy flux in a specified passband. A method is described which varies the passband to optimize these conversion factors such that they are relatively independent of the spectrum of the incident photons. This method was applied to GM tubes flown on Explorers 33 and 35 and Mariner 5 and to ion chambers flown on OSO 3 and OGO 4. Revised conversion factors and passbands are presented, and the resulting absolute solar X-ray fluxes based on these are shown to improve the agreement between the various experiments. Calculations have shown that, although the GM tubes on Explorer 33 viewed the Sun off-axis, the effective passband did not change appreciably, and the simple normalization of the count rates to the count rates of a similar GM tube on Explorer 35 was justified.

Wende, C. D.↗

A compact and low power coherent optical system for on-board spacecraft data processing.

Discussion of the design and performance of a compact low-power coherent optical data processing system suitable for spacecraft onboard applications. The system is a modification of the conventional optical data processing system in which a much more efficient solid state GaAs laser is substituted for the bulky and inferior He-Ne laser and paraboloidal mirror segments are substituted for the axially symmetric optical system of the conventional data processing system. Theoretical considerations are given to substantiate the improvement of performance aimed at in the modified system. Preliminary tests of the modified design being in progress indicate that a low power, rugged, small size optical system, capable of onboard spacecraft data processing, can be constructed by using off-axis paraboloidal mirror segments.-

Husain-Abidi, A. S.↗

A graphite crystal polarimeter for stellar X-ray astronomy.

The first crystal X-ray polarimeter to be used for X-ray astronomy is described. Polarization is measured by modulation of the X rays diffracted at an average 45 deg glancing angle from large, curved graphite crystal panels as these rotate about an axis parallel to the incident X-ray flux. Arrangement of the crystal panels, the design of the detector, and the signal-processing circuitry were optimized to minimize systematic effects produced by off-axis pointing of the rocket and cosmic ray induced events. The in-flight performance of the instrument in relation to the observed background signal is discussed.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗

Multibeam antenna study, phase 1

A multibeam antenna concept was developed for providing spot beam coverage of the contiguous 48 states. The selection of a suitable antenna concept for the multibeam application and an experimental evaluation of the antenna concept selected are described. The final analysis indicates that the preferred concept is a dual-antenna, circular artificial dielectric lens. A description of the analytical methods is provided, as well as a discussion of the absolute requirements placed on the antenna concepts. Finally, a comparative analysis of reflector antenna off-axis beam performance is presented.

Bellamy, J. L.↗

Molecular flux measurements in the back flow region of a nozzle plume

A series of tests were conducted to measure the mass flux in the far field of a nozzle plume in a high vacuum with emphasis on the back flow region. The measurements presented provided fairly accurate data for off-axis angles as large as 140 deg (i.e., in the back flow region). This region, since it is well behind the exit plane, is of paticular interest to those concerned with instrument contamination. Usually sensitive spacecraft surfaces are located in the region affected by the back flow. Parameters such as expansion ratio, throat diameter, nozzle lip shape, and plenum (chamber) pressure were varied, carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases were flowed and mass flux measurements were taken using quartz crystal microbalances in as many as nine different locations relative to the tests nozzle. Several conclusions with respect to the effect of nozzle and gas parameters on the amount of back flow mass flux are offered, and it was demonstrated that gaseous mass fluxes, which are not predictable by present theories, are encountered in the region behind the nozzle exit plane. This knowledge is significant if materials incompatible with the gaseous exhaust products are used in this region.

Chirivella, J. E.↗

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory 7.62-m space simulator modification

The JPL 7.62-m space simulator was modified to simulate the solar intensities at the planet Mercury. The capability of the simulator was increased to support testing of both the Mariner spacecraft mission to Venus and Mercury (to be launched in 1973) and the Helios spacecraft. The design of the off-axis reflecting system of the JPL simulators allowed attaining increased solar intensity, at the expense of test area, by placing a smaller collimating mirror at a lower elevation in the space simulator. In addition to requiring a new collimating mirror 4.57-m in diameter, the optical integrating system required a new design and there were several other efforts necessary to support these primary alterations.

Morgan, N. R.↗

Far-infrared observations of celestial objects by balloon-borne telescope.

The instrument described is an f/5 Newtonian telescope with a parabolic pyrex primary mirror. The telescope tube is 1.5 m long. A 61 cm baffle is included to provide shielding from off-axis objects such as the earth, the moon, and the sun. An outline of the regions covered by sky surveys in June 1970 and in April 1971 is presented. Approximately 750 square degrees of the sky have been covered, including 100 degrees along the galactic plane.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗

A neutral-atmosphere composition experiment for the Atmosphere Explorer-C, -D, and -E.

The neutral-atmosphere composition experiment instrumentation is designed to obtain in-situ measurements of neutral thermosphere composition from Atmosphere Explorer-C, -D, and -E. The system is based on previously flown OGO-6 and San Marco-3 composition instruments. The mass-spectrometer sensor includes a gold-plated thermalizing chamber and ion source, a hyperbolic rod quadrupole analyzer, and an off-axis electron multiplier. Automatic ion-source sensitivity control and pulse-counting techniques provide density measurement capability from approximately 125 to 1000 km altitude. The normal operating mode includes measurement at all masses in the range of 1 to 44 amu, with emphasis on hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.

Pelz, D. T.↗

Mass flux measurements and correlations in the back flow region of a nozzle plume.

A series of tests were conducted to measure the mass flux in the far field of a nozzle plume in a high vacuum with emphasis on the back flow region. The measurements presented in this report provide fairly accurate data for off-axis angles as large as 140 deg (i.e., the back flow region). The tests utilized five different nozzles. Parameters such as expansion ratio, throat diameter, nozzle lip shape, and plenum (chamber) pressure were varied. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases were passed through, and mass flux measurements were taken using quartz crystal microbalances in as many as nine different locations relative to the test nozzle. The tests resulted in a large matrix of data that were correlated and compared to existing prediction theories. Several conclusions with respect to the effect of nozzle and gas parameters on the amount of back flow mass flux are offered, and it was demonstrated that gaseous mass fluxes, which are not predictable by present theories, are encountered in the region behind the nozzle exit plane.

Chirivella, J. E.↗

Stimulated emission in multiple-photon-pumped xenon and argon excimers.

A pumping process involving the multiphoton absorption of laser radiation at 3547 and 2660 A is employed in the investigation. Typically, about 25% of the incident pumping radiation is absorbed and effective in producing excimer fluorescence. The four cases studied include 2660-A-pumped argon, 2660-A-pumped xenon, 3547-A-pumped xenon, and 3547-A-pumped argon. Results concerning the on-axis and off-axis fluorescence obtained from the excimers are presented in a graph.

Harris, S. E.↗

Observation of HD on Jupiter and the D/H ratio.

The measurement of the HD (7467 A) 4-0 P(1) absorption line on Jupiter was carried out during integration times on an off-axis PEPSIOS spectrometer with a resolution exceeding 100,000. A nearly model-independent number ratio D/H was determined for the Jovian atmosphere by comparing the results with the H2 (6367 A) 4-0 S(1) line.

Trauger, J. T.↗

Optimization in the design of a 12 gigahertz low cost ground receiving system for broadcast satellites. Volume 2: Antenna system and interference

The antenna characteristics are analyzed of a low cost mass-producible ground station to be used in broadcast satellite systems. It is found that a prime focus antenna is sufficient for a low-cost but not a low noise system. For the antenna feed waveguide systems are the best choice for the 12 GHz band, while printed-element systems are recommended for the 2.6 GHz band. Zoned reflectors are analyzed and appear to be attractive from the standpoint of cost. However, these reflectors suffer a gain reduction of about one db and a possible increase in sidelobe levels. The off-axis gain of a non-auto-tracking station can be optimized by establishing a special illumination function at the reflector aperture. A step-feed tracking system is proposed to provide automatic procedures for searching for peak signal from a geostationary satellite. This system uses integrated circuitry and therefore results in cost saving under mass production. It is estimated that a complete step-track system would cost only $512 for a production quantity of 1000 units per year.

Ohkubo, K.↗