Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility Instrument Cable Certification Bakeout Test
Abstract
The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility - Imaging (AXAF-I) Instrument Cables Pre-bake and NASA/MFSC 1238 SPEC Certification was conducted in the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) 4 x 10 Thermal Vacuum Chamber and 7V Antechamber, respectively. The flight hardware instrument cables provide the connections to the satellite's sensors and on-board process modules. The instrument cables certified included coaxial, multi-conductor, thermal couple wires, BNC connectors, limit switches, and several other miscellaneous connector devices. The primary objective of this test project is to de-contaminate/certify cleanliness of the instrument cables developed under the NASA-MSFC AXAF-I program. The NASA/MSFC 1238 Specification certification was performed in two steps. First, all cables were to be pre-baked at 200 deg F for a minimum of 72 hr and a maximum of 100 hr with a vacuum level of less that 1E-5 torr in AEDC's 4 x 10 Thermal Vacuum Chamber. Upon completion, the cables were placed in AEDC's 7V Antechamber and certified at 160 deg F with a vacuum level less than 1E-6 torr until TQCM obtained less than 1 Hz/hr rate change for 12 hr and further exposing an Optical Witness Sample (OWS) for 24 hr. The cables were not considered certified until the OWS passed a contaminate reflection test at NASA/MSFC. This report does not include all the data obtained during the tests but describes the particulars of each test phase and presents some typical results from each phase. The equipment used to accomplish the test objectives is also discussed. All the OWS from the test program were transported and certified by NASA/MFSC Contamination Laboratory at the time of each cable certification completion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA318795
Entities
People
- B. L. Seiber
- J. D. Sisco
- R. A. Dawbarn
- T. L. Harris
Organizations
- Arnold Engineering Development Complex