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Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility Restoration ProjectThe Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility (SMTF) was constructed in the 1960's for the purpose of simulating geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic field environments. The facility includes a three axis Braunbek coil system consisting of 12 loops, 4 loops on each of the three orthogonal axes; a remote earth field sensing magnetometer and servo control building; and a remote power control and instrumentation building. The inner coils are 42-foot in diameter and a 10-foot by 10-foot opening through the outer coils accommodates spacecraft access to the test volume. The physical size and precision of the facility are matched by only two other such facilities in the world. The facility was used extensively from the late 1960's until the early 1990's when the requirement for spacecraft level testing diminished. New NASA missions planned under the Living with a Star, Solar Terrestrial Probes, Explorer, and New Millennium Programs include precision, high-resolution magnetometers to obtain magnetic field data that is critical to fulfilling their scientific mission. It is highly likely that future Lunar and Martian exploration missions will also use precision magnetometers to conduct geophysical magnetic surveys. To ensure the success of these missions ground testing using a magnetic test facility such as the GSFC SMTF will be required. This paper describes the history of the facility, the future mission requirements that have renewed the need for spacecraft level magnetic testing, and the plans for restoring the facility to be capable of performing to its original design specifications.
Document ID
20040079836
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Vernier, Robert
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Bonalksy, Todd
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Slavin, James
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Research And Support Facilities (Air)
Meeting Information
Meeting: 23rd Space Simulation Conference
Location: Annapolis, MD
Country: United States
Start Date: November 8, 2004
End Date: November 11, 2004
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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