Accession Number:

ADA289095

Title:

SPEAR-1 Payload and SPEAR-2 External Diagnostic Package.

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept. 10 Mar 87-30 Aug 91,

Corporate Author:

UTAH STATE UNIV LOGAN CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC AND SPACE SCIENCES

Personal Author(s):

• Raitt, W. J.

Report Date:

1992-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

174.0

Abstract:

This report describes the development. test and results from the sounding rocket payloads in the program Space Power Experiments Aboard Rockets SPEAR. The report addresses the complete payload designated SPEAR- 1. successfully flown in December 1987. and the external diagnostics package included in the payload designated SPEAR-2 which was launched in July 1990. SPEAR-1 used an internal 45kV power supply to differentially bias a pair of deployed spheres relative to the main payload structure. Although volume discharges were seen when the pay- load was tested in a space simulated chamber. no significant discharges or arcs were observed when the payload was operated in the ionosphere at altitudes up to 370km. Failure of a pay-load grounding device to be exposed resulted in an electrically bipolar system. For the configuration flown it was concluded that the LEO space environment was an adequate insulator. The external diagnostic package of the SPEAR-2 payload was instrumented to study the inter- action of the high voltage and high current loads with the vehicle environment using imaging optical techniques. EMP detectors, and measurements of the environment pressure. plasma

Descriptors:

• *SPACECRAFT
• *SOUNDING ROCKETS
• SIMULATION
• IONOSPHERE
• METHODOLOGY
• OPTICS
• VOLUME
• DEPLOYMENT
• PAYLOAD
• ENVIRONMENTS
• DETECTORS
• SPACE ENVIRONMENTS
• SPACE SYSTEMS
• SPHERES
• ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
• IMAGES
• PRESSURE
• DIAGNOSIS(GENERAL)
• INSTRUMENTATION
• EXTERNAL
• ROCKETS
• ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES
• HIGH VOLTAGE
• BIPOLAR SYSTEMS
• SPACE SIMULATION CHAMBERS

Subject Categories:

• Astronautics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE