NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Ionizing radiation exposure of LDEFThe Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was launched into orbit by the Space Shuttle 'Challenger' mission 41C on 6 April 1984 and was deployed on 8 April 1984. The original altitude of the circular orbit was 258.5 nautical miles (479 km) with the orbital inclination being 28.5 degrees. The 21,500 lb NASA Langley Research Center satellite, having dimensions of some 30x14 ft was one of the largest payloads ever deployed by the Space Shuttle. LDEF carried 57 major experiments and remained in orbit five years and nine months (completing 32,422 orbits). It was retrieved by the Shuttle 'Columbia' on January 11, 1990. By that time, the LDEF orbit had decayed to the altitude of 175 nm (324 km). The experiments were mounted around the periphery of the LDEF on 86 trays and involved the representation of more than 200 investigators, 33 private companies, 21 universities, seven NASA centers, nine Department of Defense laboratories and eight foreign countries. The experiments covered a wide range of disciplines including basic science, electronics, optics, materials, structures, power and propulsion. The data contained in the LDEF mission represents an invaluable asset and one which is not likely to be duplicated in the foreseeable future. The data and the subsequent knowledge which will evolve from the analysis of the LDEF experiments will have a very important bearing on the design and construction of the Space Station Freedom and indeed on other long-term, near-earth orbital space missions. A list of the LDEF experiments according to experiment category and sponsor is given, as well as a list of experiments containing radiation detectors on LDEF including the LDEF experiment number, the title of the experiment, the principal investigator, and the type of radiation detectors carried by the specific experiment.
Document ID
19920008781
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Benton, E. V.
(San Francisco State Univ. CA., United States)
Heinrich, W.
(Siegen Univ.,, Germany F.R. , United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1990
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
USF-TR-77
NASA-CR-189536
NAS 1.26:189536
Accession Number
92N18023
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG8-138
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available