Spacelab-qualified infrared imager for microgravity science applications

Alexander D. Pline; Robert L. Butcher

doi:10.1117/12.21944

1 March 1990 Spacelab-qualified infrared imager for microgravity science applications

Alexander D. Pline, Robert L. Butcher

Proceedings Volume 1313, Thermosense XII: An International Conference on Thermal Sensing and Imaging Diagnostic Applications; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.21944
Event: 1990 Technical Symposium on Optics, Electro-Optics, and Sensors, 1990, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The Lewis Research Center is developing, under contract, a Spacelab (manned module in the Space Shuttle payload bay) qualified infrared imager for non-contact surface temperature measurement in the Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment, a microgravity fluid physics experiment. A versatile design philosophy was used in order to provide other experimenters with essentially an "off the shelf" Shuttle qualified instrument, eliminating the duplication of the rigorous development and flight qualification processes. An Inframetrics Model 600 Scanning Infrared Radiometer is being modified to satisfy both experimental and flight requirements, while maintaining the basic performance parameters of the commercial instrument. The modifications include an efficient, low power closed cycle cryogenic cooler to cool the detector, a ruggedized scanner mechanism, 8 bit AID conversion, Mil-STD components (where possible), size and weight optimization, and the addition of a microprocessor to perform automatic gain control. Features such as detector spectral response, the addition of spectral filters, and target temperature ranges could easily be changed to make this instrument useful as both a qualitative and quantitative diagnostic tool for Spacelab microgravity experiments, in combustion and fluid physics.

Citation Download Citation

Alexander D. Pline and Robert L. Butcher "Spacelab-qualified infrared imager for microgravity science applications", Proc. SPIE 1313, Thermosense XII: An International Conference on Thermal Sensing and Imaging Diagnostic Applications, (1 March 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.21944

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