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Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment: Calibration MeasurementsThe Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), which has flown on STS-40, STS-50, and STS-58, contains a three-axis accelerometer with a single, nonpendulous, electrostatically suspended proofmass, which can resolve accelerations to the 10(sub -9) g level. The experiment also contains a full calibration station to permit in situ bias and scale-factor calibration. This on-orbit calibration capability eliminates the large uncertainty of ground-based calibrations encountered with accelerometers flown in the past on the Orbiter, and thus provides absolute acceleration measurement accuracy heretofore unachievable. This is the first time accelerometer scale-factor measurements have been performed on orbit. A detailed analysis of the calibration process is given, along with results of the calibration factors from the on-orbit OARE flight measurements on STS-58. In addition, the analysis of OARE flight-maneuver data used to validate the scale-factor measurements in the sensor's most sensitive range are also presented. Estimates on calibration uncertainties are discussed. These uncertainty estimates provides bounds on the STS-58 absolute acceleration measurements for future applications.
Document ID
19970011383
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Blanchard, Robert C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Nicholson, John Y.
(Vigyan Research Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA United States)
Ritter, James R.
(Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Co. Hampton, VA United States)
Larman, Kevin T.
(Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Co. Hampton, VA United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1995
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
Publisher: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Volume: 32
Issue: 4
Subject Category
Spacecraft Instrumentation
Report/Patent Number
NASA-TM-111911
NAS 1.15:111911
Accession Number
97N70798
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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