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Space vehicle to test engines for interplanetary craft
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CURRENT TOPICS
DRI-CO2OL requires only one tank of carbon dioxide for the average week, making it extremely economical to operate. "An important advantage of this development in freeze drying is its safety," said Robert Goldsmith, ATL's vice president. "The direct injection of liquid carbon dioxide, when contrasted to the potentially dangerous use and possible fire hazard of acetone or alcohol in an open dry ice bath, cannot be underestimated--especially in hospital use. DRI-CO2OL puts an end to the ice age in freeze drying in terms of performance, convenience, safety, and cost," he said. ATL'S new freeze dryer offers convenience and ease of handling to the user. Tanks of liquid carbon dioxide, which are readily available, can be stored indefinitely, eliminating the inconvenience and delays involved in ordering and handling dry ice, which is used in a majority of existing freeze drying equipment. Also, DRICO2OL uses an electronic gauge in place of the old-style McLeod Gauge. Part of ATL's complete line of freeze dryer equipment and accessories, DRI-CO2OL provides ultra low temperatures to - 1 0 0 ° F and is available in table models and mobile units. The freeze dryer is furnished with its own integral refrigeration temperature indicator, as well as a carbon dioxide scrubber and flexible hose.
Space Vehicle to Test Engines for Interplanetary Craft.--A space vehicle for testing and gathering data on electric propulsion engines contemplated for interplanetary craft is being built at the Radio Corporation of America's Astro-Electronics Division, Princeton, N.J. The vehicle--known as SERT (Space Electric Rocket Test)--is un-
[J. F. I.
der construction for the National Aeronautics and Space Administra. tion's Lewis Research Center, Cleve. land, Ohio. L. E. Golden, SERT Project Manager for the RCA Astro. Electronics Division, said the space vehicle will be launched by a Scout rocket from Wallops Island, Vs., in 1963. It will be the first of a series of short-term ion rocket tests and its ballistic trajectory will be approximately an hour in duration. Weighing 320 lb. in all, the test capsule has a 30-in. diameter base plate on which are mounted two different engines plus power supplies, command and control instruments and telemetry equipment necessary to obtain remote data on the performance of these engines in space. The engines and power supplies are provided by Hughes Aircraft Company and Lewis Research Center. The capsule is spin-stabilized, with the engines mounted on hinged arms. When the payload is separated from the vehicle, centrifugal force will flip t h e arms outward and they will lock in place, whereupon the performance of each engine can be tested. The engines' parameters, along with different types of ion beam neutralization, will be varied during the flights to determine the effect on engine performance. Accurate thrust measurements will be made by using TIROS-type sun sensors to record the chal~ge in spin rate of the capsule. RCA's Astro-Electronics Division is responsible for design, fabrication, integration and test of the over-all capsule and for development of its telemetry, command subsystem, a number of other flight components and ground and pre-launch test equipment. Associated power subsystems, batteries and in-flight programming are being supplied by NASA.
CURRENT TOPICS
DRI-CO2OL requires only one tank of carbon dioxide for the average week, making it extremely economical to operate. "An important advantage of this development in freeze drying is its safety," said Robert Goldsmith, ATL's vice president. "The direct injection of liquid carbon dioxide, when contrasted to the potentially dangerous use and possible fire hazard of acetone or alcohol in an open dry ice bath, cannot be underestimated--especially in hospital use. DRI-CO2OL puts an end to the ice age in freeze drying in terms of performance, convenience, safety, and cost," he said. ATL'S new freeze dryer offers convenience and ease of handling to the user. Tanks of liquid carbon dioxide, which are readily available, can be stored indefinitely, eliminating the inconvenience and delays involved in ordering and handling dry ice, which is used in a majority of existing freeze drying equipment. Also, DRICO2OL uses an electronic gauge in place of the old-style McLeod Gauge. Part of ATL's complete line of freeze dryer equipment and accessories, DRI-CO2OL provides ultra low temperatures to - 1 0 0 ° F and is available in table models and mobile units. The freeze dryer is furnished with its own integral refrigeration temperature indicator, as well as a carbon dioxide scrubber and flexible hose.
Space Vehicle to Test Engines for Interplanetary Craft.--A space vehicle for testing and gathering data on electric propulsion engines contemplated for interplanetary craft is being built at the Radio Corporation of America's Astro-Electronics Division, Princeton, N.J. The vehicle--known as SERT (Space Electric Rocket Test)--is un-
[J. F. I.
der construction for the National Aeronautics and Space Administra. tion's Lewis Research Center, Cleve. land, Ohio. L. E. Golden, SERT Project Manager for the RCA Astro. Electronics Division, said the space vehicle will be launched by a Scout rocket from Wallops Island, Vs., in 1963. It will be the first of a series of short-term ion rocket tests and its ballistic trajectory will be approximately an hour in duration. Weighing 320 lb. in all, the test capsule has a 30-in. diameter base plate on which are mounted two different engines plus power supplies, command and control instruments and telemetry equipment necessary to obtain remote data on the performance of these engines in space. The engines and power supplies are provided by Hughes Aircraft Company and Lewis Research Center. The capsule is spin-stabilized, with the engines mounted on hinged arms. When the payload is separated from the vehicle, centrifugal force will flip t h e arms outward and they will lock in place, whereupon the performance of each engine can be tested. The engines' parameters, along with different types of ion beam neutralization, will be varied during the flights to determine the effect on engine performance. Accurate thrust measurements will be made by using TIROS-type sun sensors to record the chal~ge in spin rate of the capsule. RCA's Astro-Electronics Division is responsible for design, fabrication, integration and test of the over-all capsule and for development of its telemetry, command subsystem, a number of other flight components and ground and pre-launch test equipment. Associated power subsystems, batteries and in-flight programming are being supplied by NASA.