Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Patent
1988-03-28
1989-07-11
Barefoot, Galen
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
134 1, 134 2, B64G 166
Patent
active
048464252
ABSTRACT:
Method and apparatus are disclosed for automatically and remotely removing unwanted organic films from surfaces of vehicles and satellites in space. A particle beam generator (12) draws molecular oxygen from an on-board supply chamber (14) and develops a stream of positively charged oxygen ions (40). These ions are directed towards a surface or component of a spacecraft such as a solar cell, radiation emission aperture, or sensor objective lens (44) which has been coated by an opacifying, organic contaminant layer (42) that impairs the efficacy of the spacecraft. The ions (40) bombard the contaminant layer (42) and remove it by both kinetic interaction and chemical oxidation. Spacecraft surfaces and components may be restored and renewed to their original operational capabilities through this method of volatilizing debilitating occluding residues which have been hardened by solar radiation away from the spacecraft as harmless gases (50).
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4500564 (1985-02-01), Enomolo
patent: 4600442 (1986-07-01), Pastor et al.
Gillette et al., "Proton-Induced Contaminant Film Effects on Ultraviolet Reflecting Mirrors", Applied Optics, Mar. 1971.
Beverly, W. D. et al., Removal of Hydrocarbon Contaminant Film From Spacecraft. . . , AIAA 7th Thermophysics Conf., 1972, pp. 159-175.
Predmore, R. E., et al., Exospheric Cleaning of the Earth Radiation Budget Solar Radiometer. . . , SPIE vol. 338, pp. 104-113.
Phillips, A. et al., Maintenance of Contamination Sensitive Surfaces on Board Long-term Space Vehicles, Jour. of Environmental Sciences, Jul. 1984, pp. 19-21.
Barefoot Galen
Hughes Aircraft Company
Karambelas A. W.
Streeter W. J.
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