MIR Solar Array Returned Experiment
(SARE) Archive System
NASA Langley Research Center
Hampton, Virginia
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Responsible Parties:
Page Content: William H. Kinard Page Construction: Thomas H. See |
During November 1997, a solar array panel was removed from the non-articulating PV (Photovoltaic) array on the Mir core module by Russian cosmonauts. This panel, which was exposed to the orbital space environment for a period of ten years, consists of eight foldable sections and was ~6.0 meters in length and ~1.3 meters in width. The length and width dimensions of each foldable section within the panel were 760 mm and 1300 mm, respectively. After removal from the PV Array, the solar array panel was placed in a protective bag, sealed, and stowed within the Mir core module.
During the STS-89 mission, which rendezvoused with Mir in January 1998, the solar array panel was removed from the Mir core module and stowed aboard the U.S. Spacehab module for return to Earth and laboratory studies of the effects of the prolonged space exposure. After the Orbiter was returned to its processing facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the Spacehab module was removed and taken to the Spacehab Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Complex for post-flight processing. The solar array panel was subsequently removed from the Spacehab module and placed in an adjacent clean room for visual and microscopic examination. During these examinations, the intact panel underwent scientific inspections and preliminary tests by a joint team of U.S. and Russian investigators. One section of the panel (i.e., panel 8) was removed by the Russians and given to U.S. scientist for further inspection, study, and laboratory analysis. The remaining seven sections of the panel were returned to RSC Energia for inspection, study, and further analysis by Russian investigators.
Photodocumentation - Images of the Solar Array and examination activities at Spacehab Laboratory.
Analyses of Mir Solar Array Handrail Samples - Kim K. de Groh, NASA Lewis Research Center and Terry R. McCue, Dynacs Engineering
MIR Solar Array Return Experiment U.S. & Russian Team Participants | ||
| Investigator | Affiliation/ Company | Specialty / Field |
| James Visentine | Boeing | U.S. Project Manager |
| David Brinker | LeRC | Power Degradation Studies |
| William H. Kinard | LaRC | MM/OD Impact Studies |
| Thomas H. See | Lockheed-Martin JSC |
MM/OD Impact Studies |
| James Zwiener | MSFC | Molecular Contamination Analysis |
| Gale A. Harvey | LaRC | Molecular Contamination Analysis |
| Keith Albyn | JSC | Optical Property Measurements |
| Bruce Banks | LeRC | Atomic Oxygen Studies |
| Alexander Markov | RSC-E | RSC-E Project Manager |
| Dmitriy Surin | RSC-E | Power Degradation Studies |
| Viktor Konoshenko | RSC-E | MM/OD Impact Studies |
| Stanislav Naumov | RSC-E | Molecular Contamination Analysis |
For further information on the activities and results related to the MIR Solar Array Return Experiment, please contact James (Jim) Visentine.
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