Advanced QCM controller for NASA's plume impingement contamination-II

Russell Paul Cain; Forrest E. Lumpkin III; Bliss G. Carkhuff; Scott A. Wallace; O. Manuel Uy

doi:10.1117/12.481655

11 September 2002 Advanced QCM controller for NASA's plume impingement contamination-II

Russell Paul Cain, Forrest E. Lumpkin III, Bliss G. Carkhuff, Scott A. Wallace, O. Manuel Uy

Proceedings Volume 4774, Optical System Contamination: Effects, Measurements, and Control VII; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.481655
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2002, Seattle, WA, United States

Abstract

Currently, no accurate models or recent data exist for modeling contamination from spacecraft thrusters to meet the stringent requirements of the International Space Station (ISS). Few flight measurements of contaminant deposition from spacecraft thrusters have been made, and no measurements have been made for angles away from the plume centerline. The Plume Impingement Contamination-II (PIC-II)¹experiment is planned to provide such measurements using quartz crystal microbalances placed into the plume of a Shuttle Orbiter RCS thruster. To this end, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has supported NASA in the development of the PIC-II experiment Flight Electronics Unit known as the Remote Arm TQCM System (RATS), which will measure the contamination in the Shuttle Obiter RCS thruster. The development was based on an ongoing effort between the APL and QCM Research to develop an inexpensive, miniature TQCM controller based on a legacy of QCM controllers developed at the APL. PIC-II will provide substantial improvements over previous systems, including higher resolution, greater flexibility, intensive housekeeping, and in-situ operational control. Details of the experiment hardware and measurement technique are given. The importance of the experiment to the ISS and the general plume contamination community is discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Russell Paul Cain, Forrest E. Lumpkin III, Bliss G. Carkhuff, Scott A. Wallace, and O. Manuel Uy "Advanced QCM controller for NASA's plume impingement contamination-II", Proc. SPIE 4774, Optical System Contamination: Effects, Measurements, and Control VII, (11 September 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.481655

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