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As a body encounters the atmosphere of an outer planet, whether accidentally or by plan, it will be subjected to heat loads which could result in high temperature conditions that render terrestrial organisms on or within the body non-viable. To determine whether an irregularly shaped entering body, consisting of several different materials, would be sterilized during inadvertent entry at high velocity, the thermal response of a typical outer planet spacecraft instrument was studied. The results indicate that the Teflon-insulated cable and electronic circuit boards may not experience sterilizing temperatures during a Jupiter, Saturn, or Titan entry. Another conclusion of the study is that small plastic particles entering Saturn from outer space have wider survival corridors than do those at Jupiter.

A body encountering the atmosphere of an outer planet is subjected to heat loads which could result in high temperature conditions that render terrestrial organisms on or within the body nonviable. To determine whether an irregularly shaped entering body, consisting of several different materials, would be sterilized during inadvertent entry at high velocity, the thermal response of a typical outer planet spacecraft instrument was studied. The results indicate that the Teflon insulated cable and electronic circuit boards may not experience sterilizing temperatures during a Jupiter, Saturn, or Titan entry. Another conclusion of the study is that small plastic particles entering Saturn from outer space have wider survival corridors than do those at Jupiter.

Thermal control concepts for the square and the heliogyro solar sail designs under consideration for a Halley's Comet rendezvous mission are presented. The mission, involving a 1982 launch, navigation to a 0.25-AU cranking orbit about the sun in order to develop a retrograde orbit, and rendezvous with the comet in 1986, would subject surfaces of the sail vehicle to solar constant values ranging from 16 to 0.1. A highly reflective coating to produce propulsive force is needed for one surface of the sail, while the other surface requires a highly emittive coating. The problem of maintaining the sail wrinkle-free is discussed.

Thermal and electrical performances of silicon solar cell designs at high solar intensities

Parametric study of Venus entry heat shield weight and thickness requirements

Planetary quarantine analyses performed for recent unmanned Mars and Venus missions assumed that the probability of contamination by a spacecraft given accidental impact was equivalent to one. However, in the case of the gaseous outer planets, the heat generated during the inadvertent entry of a spacecraft into the planetary atmosphere might be sufficient to cause significant microbial burden reduction. This could affect navigation strategy by reducing the necessity for biasing the aim point away from the planets. An effort has been underway to develop the tools necessary to predict temperature histories for a typical spacecraft during inadvertent entry. In order that the results have general applicability, parametric analyses were performed. The thermal response of the spacecraft components and debris resulting from disintegration was determined. The temperature histories of small particles and composite materials, such as thermal blankets and an antenna, were given special attention. Guidelines are given to indicate the types of components and debris most likely to contain viable organisms, which could contaminate the lower layers of the Jovian atmosphere (approximately one atmosphere of pressure).

An effort has been underway at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop the tools necessary to predict temperature histories for a typical spacecraft during inadvertent entry. In order that the results have general applicability, parametric analyses are performed. The thermal response of the spacecraft components and debris resulting from disintegration is determined. The temperature histories of small particles and composite materials, such as thermal blankets and an antenna, are given special attention. Guidelines are given to indicate the types of components and debris most likely to contain viable organisms, which could contaminate the lower layers of the Jovian atmosphere.

Solar cell assembly current-voltage characteristics, thermal-optical properties, and power performance were determined. Solar cell cover glass thermal radiation, optical properties, confidence limits, and temperature intensity effects on maximum power were discussed.

The effects of spacecraft installation-type discontinuities on aluminized Mylar multilayer insulation have been measured using an electrically heated cylindrical calorimeter. The experimental results have been reproducible within plus or minus 10% or better for identical blankets and less than plus or minus 5% for the same blanket. Good blanket performance can be obtained using short interleaving for joints, eliminating stitched seams, and using small patches, particularly over the hot side of stitches. The heat loss through stitching is excessive but highly localized. Analytical models matched to thermocouple test results are presented. The manner in which radiation and conduction participate in heat transfer adjacent to discontinuities is indicated. High lateral heat transfer is also established as an important phenomenon in the vicinity of a discontinuity.