Murad, Edmond | Engineering Papers

NASA NTRS1992

Spectrographic observation at wavelengths near 630 nm of the interaction between the atmosphere and the Space Shuttle exhaust

The interaction between the Space Shuttle exhaust and the ambient atmosphere was studied using spectra in the wavelength region near 630 nm, obtained from the Air Force Maui Optical Station were the temporal, spatial, and spectral distribution of the emission in this region was recorded. The results show that, when the Space Shuttle exhaust gases interact with the atmosphere in the ram direction, an intense long-lasting emission is generated at 630 nm due to O(1D - 3P). A substantial amount of O(1D) is swept back onto the orbiter. Two processes responsible for the formation of O(1D) are proposed.

Broadfoot, A. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Origin of the Shuttle glow

On a recent Shuttle mission four gases, NO, CO2, Xe, and Ne were released for a plasma experiment. Unintentionally, enough gas was scattered onto the surfaces of the Shuttle tail that when NO was released a much more intense version of Shuttle glow was observed. The other gases did not affect the normal Shuttle glow. Under normal conditions the adsorbed NO that causes the glow probably come either from the ambient atmosphere or from reactions in exhaust gases from the Shuttle thrusters.

Viereck, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Spacecraft contamination programs within the Air Force Systems Command Laboratories

Spacecraft contamination programs exist in five independent AFSC organizations: Geophysics Laboratory (GL), Arnold Engineering and Development Center (AEDC), Rome Air Development Center (RADC/OSCE), Wright Research and Development Center (MLBT), Armament Laboratory (ATL/SAI), and Space Systems Division (SSD/OL-AW). In addition, a sizable program exists at Aerospace Corp. These programs are complementary, each effort addressing a specific area of expertise: GL's effort is aimed at addressing the effects of on-orbit contamination; AEDC's effort is aimed at ground simulation and measurement of optical contamination; RADC's effort addresses the accumulation, measurement, and removal of contamination on large optics; MLBT's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of contamination on materials; ATL's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of plume contamination on systems; SSD's effort is confined to the integration of some contamination experiments sponsored by SSD/CLT; and Aerospace Corp.'s effort is aimed at supporting the needs of the using System Program Offices (SPO) in specific areas, such as contamination during ground handling, ascent phase, laboratory measurements aimed at understanding on-orbit contamination, and mass loss and mass gain in on-orbit operations. These programs are described in some detail, with emphasis on GL's program.

Murad, Edmond↗