Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Barengoltz, Jack B.

Publications and source records attributed to Barengoltz, Jack B..

Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide as Alternative to Dry Heat Microbial Reduction

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in conjunction with the NASA Planetary Protection Officer, has selected vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VHP) sterilization process for continued development as a NASA approved sterilization technique for spacecraft subsystems and systems. The goal is to include this technique, with appropriate specification, in NPG8020.12C as a low temperature complementary technique to the dry heat sterilization process. A series of experiments were conducted in vacuum to determine VHP process parameters that provided significant reductions in spore viability while allowing survival of sufficient spores for statistically significant enumeration. With this knowledge of D values, sensible margins can be applied in a planetary protection specification. The outcome of this study provided an optimization of test sterilizer process conditions: VHP concentration, process duration, a process temperature range for which the worst case D value may be imposed, a process humidity range for which the worst case D value may be imposed, and robustness to selected spacecraft material substrates.

vapor hydrogen peroxide↗

A Review of the Approach of NASA Projects to Planetary Protection Compliance

NASA planetary protection, formerly planetary quarantine, is a set of regulations for extraterrestrial space missions which addresses applicable COSPAR resolutions, and ultimately derives from a 1967 United Nations treaty (the "Moon treaty"). The purpose of the NASA regulations is set forth in a basic policy, NPD 8020.7E (Ref. 1). The purposes are: to protect extraterrestrial objects from terrestrial biological contamination that may interfere with the search for extant life or its remnants or its precursors; and to protect the Earth from the possible hazards of an extraterrestrial sample return.

planetary protections↗

Microbiological Cleanliness of the Mars Pathfinder Spacecraft

The recently launched Mars Pathfinder spacecraft, involving a lander and a rover scheduled to land on Mars in July 1997, was required to comply with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration planetary protection regulations for such space missions.

Mars↗

Highly Efficient Molecular Adsorbers

Molecular adsorbers developed to reduce contamination of sensitive optoelectronic components inside housings of scientific instruments. Contaminants stick to surfaces of these devices. Needed in situations in which simply venting contaminants to environment not an option because environment even more contaminating. Useful for variety of purposes in addition to suppressing contamination. Used as collection devices for sensitive total-mass-loss measurements on specimens of materials exhibiting low outgassing or as passive witness plates for collection of contaminants to be analyzed subsequently. Temperature-differential desorption from adsorbers used for preliminary separation of chemical species prior to mass spectroscopy or as alternative to gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy.

Voecks, Gerald E.↗

Bakeout Chamber Within Vacuum Chamber

Vacuum-bakeout apparatus for decontaminating and measuring outgassing from pieces of equipment constructed by mounting bakeout chamber within conventional vacuum chamber. Upgrade cost effective: fabrication and installation of bakeout chamber simple, installation performed quickly and without major changes in older vacuum chamber, and provides quantitative data on outgassing from pieces of equipment placed in bakeout chamber.

Taylor, Daniel M.↗

Helmet-Mounted Display Of Clouds Of Harmful Gases

Proposed helmet-mounted opto-electronic instrument provides real-time stereoscopic views of clouds of otherwise invisible toxic, explosive, and/or corrosive gas. Display semitransparent: images of clouds superimposed on scene ordinarily visible to wearer. Images give indications on sizes and concentrations of gas clouds and their locations in relation to other objects in scene. Instruments serve as safety devices for astronauts, emergency response crews, fire fighters, people cleaning up chemical spills, or anyone working near invisible hazardous gases. Similar instruments used as sensors in automated emergency response systems that activate safety equipment and emergency procedures. Both helmet-mounted and automated-sensor versions used at industrial sites, chemical plants, or anywhere dangerous and invisible or difficult-to-see gases present. In addition to helmet-mounted and automated-sensor versions, there could be hand-held version. In some industrial applications, desirable to mount instruments and use them similarly to parking-lot surveillance cameras.

Diner, Daniel B.↗

Adhesion Between Particles And Surfaces In A Vacuum

Report discusses experimental study of adhesion between several kinds of particles and solid surfaces. Purpose of investigation to extend available data on adhesion of contaminant particles and to contribute to understanding of ways in which acceleration redistributes contaminant particles, causing increases or decreases in contamination.

Barengoltz, Jack B.↗

Strategy for contamination control to improve Wide-Field/Planetary Camera far-ultraviolet performance

A multifaceted contamination control strategy has been developed for the second generated Wide-Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC-2) to improve the FUV stability by several orders of magnitude, compared to the first camera (WFPC-1). The strategy involves: improved on-orbit boil-off capability of the detector optics, added internal shielding and instrument venting, in-process subassembly vacuum bakeout at elevated temperatures, material substitution, sample testing in ultraclean vacuum facility, and internal instrument contamination-transport modeling. A science performance goal of 1 percent photometric accuracy at 1470 A over an extended time (of at least 30 days) has been established as a contamination control target for WFPC-2. The WFPC-2 is currently planned to be launched by the Shuttle in mid-1993 and replace the WFPC-1 which was recently launched with the HST.

Leschly, Kim↗

Analysis and interpretation of Wide Field Planetary Camera outgas data collected in the temperature range from -20 C to -100 C

The data from the Wide Field Planetary Camera (WFPC) are analyzed to determine the absolute source-emission parameters and contaminant reemission parameters of outgassing mass accumulation. The data correspond to the mass accumulated on a -100 C quartz crystal microbalance and then desorbed at -50 C as a function of time. The parameters investigated include contaminant mass, first-order rate constants, and characteristic energies. The data are modeled in terms of a minimum number of species characterized by source-rate and reemission-rate parameters. The modeling technique is found to produce adequate fits, and the contaminants that accumulate at -100 C and desorb at -50 C do not accumulate at -50 C. The data analysis is found to be an adequate technique for assessing outgassing parameters for the prediction of WFPC internal contamination.

Barengoltz, Jack B.↗

Modeling of internal contaminant deposition on a cold instrument sensor

A model is developed to predict the deposition of contaminants on the CCD sensors of the Wide Field Planetary Camera to determine expected performance parameters. Contaminant deposition due to internal instrument sources is considered as is the mechanism of transport to the CCDs themselves. The Contamination Analysis Program (CAP) model considers deposition and reemission kinetics, nodal containment sources, and internodal shape factors related to line-of-sight transport. Indirect transport is also accounted for in the CAP model by considering the effect of diffuse reflection at internodal exchanges. The effective total transport factors for each node-to-node exchange is precalculated to reduce the effective number of nodes and reducing run time of the CAP program. The method is applied to four distinct conditions and is found to be suitable for the analysis of internal self-contamination. Cold traps, venting, and vacuumlike design are factors which are found to be important for cold-sensitive sensors.

Barengoltz, Jack B.↗

Calculating Obscuration Ratios Of Contaminated Surfaces

Equations derived to estimate obscuration ratios of surfaces contaminated by particles. Ratio is fraction of surface area covered by particles. Useful as index of cleanliness in clean-room operations in manufacturing of semiconductor devices, magnetic recording media, optical devices, and pharmaceutical and biotechnological products.

Barengoltz, Jack B.↗

Particle adhesion to surfaces under vacuum

The release of glass beads and standard dust from aluminum and glass substrates under centrifugation (simulating atmospheric pressure, low vacuum, and high vacuum conditions) was measured, with application to the estimation of contaminant particle release during spacecraft launch. For particles in the 10-100 micron range, dust was found to adhere more strongly than glass beads in all the cases considered. For most of the cases, dust and glass beads adhered more strongly to glass than to aluminum at all pressures. The adhesion force for dust on glass at 10 torr was shown to be as small as the value for dust on aluminum.

Barengoltz, Jack B.↗