TOWARD THE ORBITAL LAUNCH FACILITY
Design of an orbital launch facility /olf/ capable of repair and checkout
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Design of an orbital launch facility /olf/ capable of repair and checkout
Metal heat sink and electronic modules bonded to a thermal bridge can be easily cleaved for removal of the modules for replacement or repair. A thin film of grease between a fluorocarbon polymer film on the metal heat sink and an adhesive film on the modules acts as the cleavage plane.
As thrust levels increase and as rocket engines fire for longer periods of time, the difficulties encountered in the protection of critical components from the effects of excessively high temperatures greatly increase. To protect these components a series of filled elastomeric composites have been evaluated. A brief discussion is presented of the problems of hot gas recirculation, radiation, and base plane heating with particular reference to large, clustered, liquid propellant rocket engines. The effect on components is discussed and an evaluation of a series of insulators based on filled elastomeric composites is presented. The evaluations are based on specialized thermal tests which were designed to simulate as far as possible, conditions during flight. The most promising of these elastomeric composites are compared to three alternative insulative systems, a filled, castable ceramic, a metal foil-silica fiber batting, and an asbestos-inconel wire mesh composite, in terms of weight, cost, and ease of fabrication and repair.
Design integration of Apollo command and service module, showing interdependence of systems and use of crew for monitoring, repair and system operation
Meteoritic puncture repair by self-sealing foaming resin in multisheet spacecraft wall
Modification, major overhaul, repair, and instrument calibration of equipment used in cryogenic irradiation facility at Plum Brook reactor installation
Inaccessible-Non Repairable- Costly: The meaning of these words is absolute in the event of a complete failure of an orbiting spacecraft. Adequate design, or rather, minimizing chance of failure, challenges all scientists and engineers. Where experience has not been developed, the risk involved in a new application must be weighed against the consequence of a design failure. In space work, the spectrum of consequence is extremely wide. It ranges from loss of scientific data on one hand, to loss of life on the other.. There is little question that knowledge of the space environment and its effects must be determined to produce reliable spacecraft. Tests to prove the design must be performed with equipment capable of simulating the effects of the environment in which the design is to operate. This does not necessarily mean that the natural environment must be duplicated. The degree of environmental simulation that should be achieved depends primarily upon the significance of the physical effects it causes. The purpose of space vacuum simulation in an environmental test program should be accurately conceived and the testing phased to obtain maximum information from the limited samples available for test. This discussion is confined to some of the factors involved in simulating the effects of space vacuum environment. This survey is by no means complete, but will touch on some of the highlights in this field: 1. A description of the environment 2. The level of simulation necessary to evaluate its effects 3. Test equipment capability 4. Experience in test 5. Experience in orbit 6. Observations & future emphasis
Facility for sterilization of space flight vehicles permitting sterile access to flight hardware for assembly, checkout and repair
Portable weld tool makes weld repairs out-of-station and on the side opposite the original weld. It provides full automatic control of the arc voltage, current, wire feed, and electrode travel speed in all welding attitudes. The device is readily adaptable to commercially available straight polarity dc weld packs.
Ultra-bioclean-room facility for decontamintion and sterilizion of disassembled spacecraft, and subsequent assembly and repair
Joint repair technique uses a longitudinally split aluminum shield over the joint ferrule and immediately adjacent tubing to reseal or reinforce leaking or weak joints in small tubing. Epoxy resin coating on inside surfaces of the two shield halves provides a tightly sealed bond between shield and tubing.
Plate and sheet were welded using automatic TIG /Tungsten Inert Gas/ weld techniques and manual repair weld techniques. Yield strength of 2219-T81 sheet and plate decreases significantly when welded.
Instruction manual for installation, operation maintenance, and repair of bio-isolator suit system life support system consoles and communication links
One of the major objectives of the Gemini Program was to develop and to demonstrate techniques for the rendezvous and docking of space vehicles. This objective is of vital importance since rendezvous and docking is mandatory for success in many future manned space-flight programs. For example, lunar orbital rendezvous has been selected as the primary mode for the Apollo lunar-landing mission which requires one rendezvous and two dockings. Other programs requiring rendezvous are planetary missions, manned space stations, and unmanned satellite inspection and repair missions.
Mission requirements, maintenance and repair constraints, and crew capabilites for 690-day planetary flyby mission
Nondestructive testing techniques for in-space use, discussing leak detection and repair and fuel and pressure line checkout
Nondestructive testing techniques for in-space use, discussing leak detection and repair and fuel and pressure line checkout
Aerosolized bacterial simulating fluorescent particle generation and detection system for sterility maintenance validation in closed system allowing sterile assembly and repair