Traverse gravimeter experiment
Abstract
The Traverse Gravimeter is a semiautomatic self-leveling lunar gravimeter which was designed for the Apollo 17 mission. It is completely self-contained, powered by an internal battery, and was used to measure gravity at predetermined stops along the route of the Lunar Rover Vehicle. The gravity sensor is a vibrating string accelerometer (VSA) enclosed in a temperature-controlled oven and gimballed leveling assembly. This instrument is capable of resolving gravity differences as small as 0.035 milligal on the moon and yet also is able to measure the earth's gravity field of 980,000 milligals. Twenty-two measurements were taken on the moon during the Apollo 17 mission, during which the VSA temperature never varied more than .005 deg C. The flight results indicate an instrument accuracy of better than 2 mgal.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Guidance and Control Conference
- Pub Date:
- August 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975guco.confR....B
- Keywords:
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- Apollo 17 Flight;
- Gravimeters;
- Lunar Gravitation;
- Accelerometers;
- Design Analysis;
- Equipment Specifications;
- Performance Tests;
- Sensitivity;
- Instrumentation and Photography