A small instrument pointing system for shuttle sortie missionsA small instrument pointing system (SIPS) has been conceptually designed as a means of interfacing smaller astronomical instruments with the ESA spacelab system on shuttle sortie missions. Small instruments are defined as being up to 0.9 meter in diameter, three meters in length, and 340 kilograms in mass. Two independently supported instruments are deployed on a common pedestal to give a hemispherical field of view. The instruments are each supported at their centers-of-mass in bi-axial gimbal systems for fine pointing. An optional roll gimbal can be used to give roll about the line of sight. Instruments are held in environmental canisters which protect them thermally, and acoustically as well as from contamination. The canister facilitates instrument integration and provides interfaces to all spacelab subsystems. The SIPS is a total instrument support system for small sortie mission instruments.
Document ID
19760029847
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Henrikson, C. C. (Ball Brothers Research Corp. Boulder, Colo., United States)
Schmidt, E. E. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Mission Technology Div., Greenbelt, Md., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1975
Subject Category
Spacecraft Instrumentation
Report/Patent Number
AAS PAPER 75-187
Meeting Information
Meeting: Meeting on Space Shuttle Missions of the 80''s