NASA Langley Research Center
Hampton, Virginia

	Langley Home Page
	Space Environments &Technology Archive System Home Page
	Space Environments &Effects Home Page
	NASA Home Page

LDEF Post-Retrieval Activities at KSC

Radiation Survey

A radiation survey of LDEF was performed by representatives of the Ionizing Radiation Special Investigation Group between February 4-20, 1990. Each tray was individually monitored for 8-12 hours with high-purity germanium detectors from a distance of approximately 0.6 microns. The energy range extended from 50 keV to 3 MeV.

Infrared Video Survey

An infrared video survey of the LDEF spacecraft was performed February 18-19, 1990. A Mitsubishi high-resolution IR camera captured the 2-5 micron band, and two AGA thermovision IR cameras collected images in the 2-5.5 micron and 8-12 micron bands. Areas of interest were viewed with increased resolution and with a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS). The cameras were no closer than 0.5 m.

Pre-deintegration Meteoroid & Debris Survey

Prior to the removal of the first experiment tray from LDEF, the Meteoroid & Debris Special Investigation Group's A-Team preformed a visiual survey of all exposed spacecraft components looking for impact features that might be disturbed and/or destroyed during the deintegration activities. The survey was conducted from February 20-23, 1990.

Photographic Survey

Immediately following the removal of the experiment trays, photographs were taken of the front and back of each tray with a Hasselblad camera using Vericolor III film with color-corrected lighting. Approximately 10,000 photographs were taken at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) during post-retrieval activities. Following the photographic survey, representatives of the Micrometeoroid & Debris Special Investigation Group (M&D SIG) inspected all exposed surfaces for impact features and documented (1) the size, type, location, and feature characteristics of all impacts (greater than or equal to 0.5 mm in diameter for thick surfaces, greater than or equal to 0.3 mm in diameter for thinner blanket-type materials, and all impact features exhibiting unusual characteristics), (2) digitized, color stereo images of all large impact features, and (3) determiend the number of all impact features large enough to be observed visually, but too small to warrrant detailed documentation. In addition, any other information on these impact features which could be gathered visually was recorded. Features were documented with optical scanning stereo microscopes. The inspection did not involve physical contact with tray or experiment surfaces.

All of the data and images collected by the M&D SIG during detintegration and subsequent investigations are securely stored in the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Curatorial Facility Data Vault. More information is available through the LDEF M&D SIG Web Pages maintained at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

Contamination Inspection

A free standing compound microscope, with Darkfield, Brightfield and Nomarski capabilities, was used to inspect experiment hardware for contamination and unusual surface conditions. The normal working distance was 11 mm for the lower magnifications (50X-200X) and no closer than 5 mm for higher magnifications (up to 800X). This equipment augmented the Micrometeoroid & Debris SIG stereoscopic microscopes, which were also be used for evaluating surface contaminants.

Back

LDEF Archive System Home Page