DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A HYPER-THERMAL ATOMIC OXYGEN WIND TUNNEL FACILITY

Vitor Toshiyuki Abrao Oiko, Peter Roberts, Steve Edmondson, Stephen Worrall, Sarah Haigh, Katharine Smith, Nicholas Crisp, Rachel Lyons, Sabrina Livadiotti, Claire Huyton, Luciana Sinpetru, et al.

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

A hyper-thermal orbital aerodynamics test facility is described. The Rarefied Orbital Aerodynamics Research facility (ROAR) is a dedicated apparatus designed to simulate the atmospheric flow in very low Earth orbits (VLEO) to investigate the impact different material properties have on gas-surface interactions, and determine the aerodynamic properties of materials from the reemitted gas distribution. The main characteristics observed in VLEO to be reproduced are the free molecular flow regime and the flux of oxygen atoms at orbital velocities impinging on the spacecraft surface. This is accomplished by combining an ultra-high vacuum system with a hyper-thermal oxygen atoms generator. Materials performance will be assessed via a scattering experiment in which an atomic oxygen beam is incident on the surface of a test sample and the scattered species are recorded by mass spectrometers. The design of the experiment is discussed, from the specification of the vacuum components to the generation of oxygen atoms and their detection.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2019
EventISMSE 2018 - International Symposium on Materials in the Space Environment - Biarritz, France
Duration: 1 Oct 20185 Oct 2018
Conference number: 14th
http://www.ismse2018.com/

Conference

ConferenceISMSE 2018 - International Symposium on Materials in the Space Environment
Abbreviated titleISMSE 2018
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityBiarritz
Period1/10/185/10/18
Internet address

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