Spacecraft Self-Contamination by Molecular Outgassing

Abstract

The contamination of spacecraft surfaces from ambient and outgassing molecules is considered. A model is formulated for the molecules desorbed from the spacecraft surfaces and scattered by the ambient molecules back to the emitting and adjacent surfaces. Equations are derived for the backscatter and far-field cases as a function of surface geometry, mean free path, and desorbing beam shape. Expressions are given for point to point and flat surface to point scattering. The scattered molecular irradiance is combined with other sources to obtain the total molecular irradiance. A calculation of the contamination during launch of the Lincoln Experimental Satellites 8 and 9 is given.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 31, 1975
Accession Number
ADA008504

Entities

People

  • Robert L. Harvey

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Apogees
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Collisions
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Equations
  • Geometry
  • Knudsen Number
  • Launch Vehicles
  • Mean Free Path
  • Momentum
  • Orbits
  • Outgassing
  • Payload
  • Spacecraft
  • Trajectories
  • Transfer Orbits
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Space