STERILIZATION OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS OF SPACECRAFT

Abstract

Contamination of celestial bodies with earth microorganisms might make studies of any extraterrestrial life impossible. Sterilization of heat and/or radiation sensitive electronic components presents a special problem. Using a flexible film germ-free isolator, internal contamination was demonstrated in only 11 of 166 components, including 9 of 101 capacitors. Moreover, the level of natural contamination is low and destruction of microorganisms is assessed in terms of probability. Therefore, development of adequate sterilization procedures is being approached by deliberate contamination, during manufacture, with bacterial spores of high resistance to heat and irradiation. The results obtained with some types of resistors and diodes are presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0282800

Entities

People

  • E. S. Wynne
  • Joseph T. Cordaro

Organizations

  • United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerospace Medicine
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Contamination
  • Electronic Components
  • Materials
  • Microorganisms
  • Performance Tests
  • Radiation
  • Resistance
  • Resistors
  • Space Probes
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Components
  • Spores
  • Sterilization
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Microbial Pathology
  • Software Engineering
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris