NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Modular removable precision mechanism for alignment of an FUV spatial heterodyne interferometerSpaceflight optical instruments have two conflicting requirements. They need to be both rigid and lightweight. In addition, for interferometric far ultraviolet spectrometers, the requirements for precision positioning are more severe than for conventional spectrometers. To meet the challenge of lightweight optical instruments, a modular adjustment mechanism was developed to position two orthogonal axes of a universal three-axis gimbal support system with a positioning accuracy on the order of 10 arc seconds. The mechanism was designed as a self-contained assembly which can be removed after final alignment of a spacebound optical instrument to reduce its in-flight mass. To demonstrate the concept, a number of these assemblies were made and mounted on two of the positioning axes of a far ultraviolet spatial heterodyne interferometer. A shaft clamp was used on each positioning axis to retain the adjusted position. This paper describes the design of the mechanism and presents optical test results.
Document ID
19930050396
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Tom, James L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cotton, Daniel M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Bush, Brett C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chung, Ray
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chakrabarti, Supriya
(California Univ. Berkeley, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: In: EUV, X-ray, and gamma-ray instrumentation for astronomy II; Proceedings of the Meeting, San Diego, CA, July 24-26, 1991 (A93-34376 13-35)
Publisher: Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
Subject Category
Spacecraft Instrumentation
Accession Number
93A34393
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-675
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-1672
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available