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Optical tools and techniques for aligning solar payloads with the SPARCS control systemThe success of a rocket-borne experiment depends not only on the pointing of the attitude control system, but on the alignment of the attitude control system to the payload. To ensure proper alignment, special optical tools and alignment techniques are required. Those that were used in the SPARCS program are described and discussed herein. These tools include theodolites, autocollimators, a 38-cm diameter solar simulator, a high-performance 1-m heliostat to provide a stable solar source during the integration of the rocket payload, a portable 75-cm sun tracker for use at the launch site, and an innovation called the Solar Alignment Prism. Using the real sun as the primary reference under field conditions, the Solar Alignment Prism facilitates the coalignment of the attitude sun sensor with the payload. The alignment techniques were developed to ensure the precise alignment of the solar payloads to the SPARCS attitude sensors during payload integration and to verify the required alignment under field conditions just prior to launch.
Document ID
19760052311
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Thomas, N. L.
(Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Inc. Sunnyvale, Calif., United States)
Chisel, D. M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1976
Subject Category
Ground Support Systems And Facilities (Space)
Meeting Information
Meeting: Sounding Rocket Technology Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Start Date: June 23, 1976
End Date: June 25, 1976
Accession Number
76A35277
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS2-8579
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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