Bearing Anomaly for the Sentinel 6 Supplemental Calibration System

The Supplemental Calibration System (SCS) was designed to rotate an elliptical reflector for the Sentinel 6 Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMR). By rotating the reflector, the system can perform calibrations by comparing the reflection from space to the reflection from an onboard calibration target. During the qualification testing of the SCS, a flaw was discovered that resulted in apparent brinelling of bearings that support the rotating reflector. An extensive investigation ensued to determine the root cause of the problem. Though the most likely root causes of the presumed brinelling ended up being the result of undersized bearing clamp rings and thermal mismatch, there were requirements that drove these design choices. This paper describes the design of the bearing assembly, requirements that drove the design, and documents a challenging investigation filled with ambiguous test results.