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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 649 records · Page 36

Design and fabrication of a high temperature leading edge heating array, phase 1

Progress during a Phase 1 program to design a high temperature heating array is reported for environmentally testing full-scale shuttle leading edges (30 inch span, 6 to 15 inch radius) at flight heating rates and pressures. Heat transfer analyses of the heating array, individual modules, and the shuttle leading edge were performed, which influenced the array design, and the design, fabrication, and testing of a prototype heater module.

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Development of space stable thermal control coatings for use on large space vehicles

Pigment manufacturing development, binder development, environmental effects evaluations, and general coatings investigations are discussed. The relative emphasis on each of these tasks varied according to the urgency of the problems elucidated and the availability of time and funds. Emphasis is placed on the development of a mixed oxalate precursor zinc orthotitanate pigment manufacturing method and related studies and on complementary environmental testing and evaluation activities.

Harada, Y.↗

Plated wire random access memories

A program was conducted to construct 4096-work by 18-bit random access, NDRO-plated wire memory units. The memory units were subjected to comprehensive functional and environmental tests at the end-item level to verify comformance with the specified requirements. A technical description of the unit is given, along with acceptance test data sheets.

Gouldin, L. D.↗

The NASA program for standardizing silicon solar cells

The present work describes briefly the goals of the recently organized Standardized Space Power Systems Office and its program for developing low-cost, standard power system components for spacecraft. The first step is the development of standard specifications for solar cells and covers. These include: (1) physical dimensions, materials of construction, appearance and integrity of solar cell and coverglass; (2) electrical performance characteristics of solar cell and optical characteristics of coverglass; and (3) sampling, inspection, and electrical and environmental tests needed to demonstrate compliance with the above specifications.

Bifano, W.J.↗

A study to define an in-flight dynamics measurement and data applications program for space shuttle payloads

Data measurement and interpretation techniques were defined for application to the first few space shuttle flights, so that the dynamic environment could be sufficiently well established to be used to reduce the cost of future payloads through more efficient design and environmental test techniques. It was concluded that: (1) initial payloads must be given comprehensive instrumentation coverage to obtain detailed definition of acoustics, vibration, and interface loads, (2) analytical models of selected initial payloads must be developed and verified by modal surveys and flight measurements, (3) acoustic tests should be performed on initial payloads to establish realistic test criteria for components and experiments in order to minimize unrealistic failures and retest requirements, (4) permanent data banks should be set up to establish statistical confidence in the data to be used, (5) a more unified design/test specification philosophy is needed, (6) additional work is needed to establish a practical testing technique for simulation of vehicle transients.

Rader, W. P.↗

Failure rate analysis of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft performance during orbital life

Space life performance data on 57 Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft are analyzed from the standpoint of determining an appropriate reliability model and the associated reliability parameters. Data from published NASA reports, which cover the space performance of GSFC spacecraft launched in the 1960-1970 decade, form the basis of the analyses. The results of the analyses show that the time distribution of 449 malfunctions, of which 248 were classified as failures (not necessarily catastrophic), follow a reliability growth pattern that can be described with either the Duane model or a Weibull distribution. The advantages of both mathematical models are used in order to: identify space failure rates, observe chronological trends, and compare failure rates with those experienced during the prelaunch environmental tests of the flight model spacecraft.

Norris, H. P.↗

Large format SEC orthicon integrating television sensor for LST

The Large Space Telescope will employ a 70 mm format SEC type television camera tube as the data sensor for one or more scientific instruments. The characteristics of this tube are described. The current performance is characterized by an MTF of 50% at 20 line pairs per mm and a signal-to-noise ratio that is about one-half the theoretical based on the square root of the number of photoelectrons. The paper presents some astronomical results and the status of the environmental testing of the tube. Other topics such as radiation sensitivity and thermal design are also discussed.

Lowrance, J. L.↗

Flexible, FEP-Teflon covered solar cell module development

Techniques and equipment were developed for the large scale, low-cost fabrication of lightweight, roll-up and fold-up, FEP-Teflon encapsulated solar cell modules. Modules were fabricated by interconnecting solderless single-crystal silicon solar cells and heat laminating them at approximately 300 C between layers of optically clear FEP and to a loadbearing Kapton substrate sheet. Modules were fabricated from both conventional and wraparound contact solar cells. A heat seal technique was developed for mechanically interconnecting modules into an array. The electrical interconnections for both roll-up and fold-up arrays were also developed. The use of parallel-gap resistance welding, ultrasonic bonding, and thermocompression bonding processes for attaching interconnects to solar cells were investigated. Parallel-gap welding was found to be best suited for interconnecting the solderless solar cells into modules. Details of the fabrication equipment, fabrication processes, module and interconnect designs, environmental test equipment, and test results are presented.

Rauschenbach, H. S.↗

Effect of high-pressure oxygen on the mechanical properties of alloys

Unnotched and notched tensile properties of stressed and unstressed specimens of wrought 316 stainless steel, Incology 903, Monel K-500, and cast specimens of Inconel 718 were examined. Environmental tests were performed in atmospheric pressure air, high pressure nitrogen, and high pressure oxygen. Results show that oxygen did not alter the tensile properties of any of the alloys studied.

Schwartzberg, F. R.↗

Large, high resolution integrating TV sensor for astronomical appliations

A magnetically focused SEC tube developed for photometric applications is described. Efforts to design a 70 mm version of the tube which meets the ST f/24 camera requirements of the space telescope are discussed. The photometric accuracy of the 70 mm tube is executed to equal that of the previously developed 35 mm tube. The tube meets the criterion of 50 percent response at 20 cycles/mm in the central region of the format, and, with the removal of the remaining magnetic parts, this spatial frequency is expected over almost all of the format. Since the ST f/24 camera requires sensitivity in the red as well as the ultraviolet and visible spectra, attempts were made to develop tubes with this ability. It was found that it may be necessary to choose between red and u.v. sensitivity and tradeoff red sensitivity for low background. Results of environmental tests indicate no substantive problems in utilizing it in a flight camera system that will meet the space shuttle launch requirements.

Spitzer, L. J.↗

Compact far ultraviolet emission source with rich spectral emission 1150-3100 A

The article describes a compact hollow Pt cathode emission source for the far UV, developed for use as a high-resolution wavelength standard in laboratory work or on spacecraft (specifically, the NASA International UV Explorer - IUE). The source is small, rugged, lightweight, spectrally rich, bright in the 1150-3200 A region, features long service life, low operating voltage, and lower power drain, and stably emits a large number of very sharp lines with a spectrum lending itself to projection onto the focal plane of a spectrograph. The source has successfully passed exacting environmental tests, and serves as a transfer standard for absolute sensitivity calibration of spectrometric instruments.

Mount, G. H.↗

Curve tracer checks CMOS IC's

Conventional transistor curve tracer can speed up failure analysis of CMOS integrated circuits by displaying transfer characteristics while device is subjected to vibration or environmental testing. Failures that show up as change in threshold voltage or transfer characteristics are quickly detected.

Kizer, F.↗

Reliability evaluation of hermetic dual in-line flat microcircuit packages

The relative strengths and weaknesses of 35 commonly used hermetic flat and dual in-line packages were determined and used to rank each of the packages according to a numerical weighting scheme for package attributes. The list of attributes included desirable features in five major areas: lead and lead seal, body construction, body materials, lid and lid seal, and marking. The metal flat pack and multilayer integral ceramic flat pack and DIP received the highest rankings, and the soft glass Cerdip and Cerpak types received the lowest rankings. Loss of package hermeticity due to lead and lid seal problems was found to be the predominant failure mode from the literature/data search. However, environmental test results showed that lead and lid seal failures due to thermal stressing was only a problem with the hard glass (Ceramic) body DIP utilizing a metal lid and/or bottom. Insufficient failure data were generated for the other package types tested to correlate test results with the package ranking.

Johnson, G. M.↗

The 40 KW of Solar Cell Modules for the Large Scale Production Task a Low Cost Silicon Solar Array Project

Forty kilowatts of solar cell modules was produced in this program. This is equivalent to 4123 modules. The average power output per module was 9.7 watts at 16.5 volts, 60 C and 100 mW/sq cm. The peak production rate was 200 modules per week which is equal to 1.9 kW per week. This rate was sustained for over four and one-half months and is equivalent to 100 kW per year. This final report covers the solar cell module design, electrical and power performance, module preproduction environmental test results, production and shipping schedule, program summary, and delivery. A cost analysis section is written. Particular emphasis on the percentage of labor and material utilized in constructing a solar cell module is presented. Also included are cost reduction recommendations.

Jones, G. T.↗

Center punched solar cell module development effort

The results are given of an advanced module development program with the objective of providing a low cost solar cell mechanical interconnect design. The design approach, which avoids soldering or welding operations, lends itself to automated assembly techniques thus supporting the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project goals. The first group of six modules contained aluminum contact cells and the second group of six modules contained silver-titanium-palladium contact cells. Extensive component and environmental testing at the module level showed that reliable cell mechanical interconnection can be achieved when utilizing the proper electrical contact materials and pressures. A discussion is given of the module design, manufacturing procedure, test program, significant problem areas and solutions, and conclusions and recommendations as formulated and conducted by XEOS.

Ross, R. E.↗

Environmental performance evaluation of an advanced-design solid-state television camera

The development of an advanced-design black-and-white solid-state television camera which can survive exposure to space environmental conditions was undertaken. A 380 x 488 element buried-channel CCD is utilized as the image sensor to ensure compatibility with 525-line transmission and display equipment. Specific camera design approaches selected for study and analysis included: (1) component and circuit sensitivity to temperature; (2) circuit board thermal and mechanical design; and (3) CCD temperature control. Preferred approaches were determined and integrated into the final design for two deliverable solid-state TV cameras. One of these cameras was subjected to environmental tests to determine stress limits for exposure to vibration, shock, acceleration, and temperature-vacuum conditions. These tests indicate performance at the design goal limits can be achieved for most of the specified conditions.

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LSA engineering status

Module engineering activities, environmental testing in research and development, and module requirement generation are discussed in the solar array project.

Ross, R.↗