FULL-SCALE SIMULATED ALTITUDE INVESTIGATION OF THE CENTAUR-PAYLOAD SURFACE AND FUNCTIONAL DEGRADATION RESULTING FROM THE SATURN S-IVB RETRO ROCKET EXHAUST CONTAMINANTS
Abstract
Five tests were conducted to determine the surface contamination of the Centaur vehicle and its payload resulting from the deposition of retro exhaust particles during separation from the spent S-4B stage. The test article consisted of a full-scale model, 120-deg segment of the S-4B interstage adapter- Centaur-Payload sections of the Saturn 1B-Centaur vehicle. An S4B retro motor was mounted in the adapter section at either a 0- or 11.5-deg angle upward from the model surface and was ignited at a pressure altitude of approximately 130, 000 ft. The contamination of the model surface was primarily a gray deposit of iron and aluminum oxides. Predominant sizes of the particles deposited on the contamination panels were 1 to 10 microns. However, many particles ranged from 20 to 60 microns, and a few particles were as large as 400 microns. Particle erosion of the paint on the model surface was 12 to 14 microns in depth and occurred in a 4- to 30-ft interval downstream of the nozzle exit. The test results dependent upon retro motor firing angles of 0 and 11.5 deg, respectively, varied as follows: (1) maximum surface heating rate, 14.1 to 9.0 Btu/sq ft-sec; (2) maximum surface pressure, 0.29 to 0.14 psia; (3) degradation of solar cell panel performance, 26.6 to 6.0%; (4) laser beam attenuation, 22 to 12%; and (5) nominal change in surface reflectance of the model utilizing a laser beam, 27 to 19%.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0481648
Entities
People
- W. W. Muse
Organizations
- Arnold Engineering Development Complex