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COLD-SAT - An orbital cryogenic hydrogen technology experimentThe COLD-SAT spacecraft will perform subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and transfer experiments under low-gravity conditions to provide engineering data for future space transportation missions. Consisting of an experiment module mated to a spacecraft bus, COLD-SAT will be placed in an initial 460 km circular orbit by an Atlas I commercial launch vehicle. After deployment, the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control and data management, communications, and attitude control along with propulsive acceleration levels ranging from 10 (-6) to 10(-4) g. These accelerations are an important aspect of some of the experiments, as it is desired to know the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved. The experiment module will contain the three liquid hydrogen tanks, valves, pressurization equipment, and instrumentation. At launch all the hydrogen will be in the largest tank, which has helium-purged MLI and is loaded and topped off by the hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas. The two smaller tanks will be utilized in orbit for performing some of the experiments. The experiments are grouped into two classes on the basis of their priority, and include six regarded as enabling technology and nine regarded as enhancing technology.
Document ID
19900026227
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Schuster, J. R.
(General Dynamics Corp. Space Systems Div., San Diego, CA, United States)
Wachter, Joseph P.
(Ford Aerospace Corp. Space Systems Div., Palo Alto, CA, United States)
Powers, Albert G.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1989
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
IAF PAPER 89-057
Accession Number
90A13282
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-25062
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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