Liquid helium management for Gravity Probe-B
Abstract
The Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) experiment will be degraded if accelerations at a proof mass become larger than one ten billionth g. This makes necessary the management of the configuration and dynamical behavior of the large amount of liquid helium present in the GP-B spacecraft dewar. Three approaches to the solution of this problem are discussed. It is concluded that the most promising technique involves the use of baffles into which the liquid helium can be forced during a relatively high spacecraft rotation period, and in which the liquid helium will be held by capillary forces during the operational period when the rotation rate is much lower. Some likely baffle configurations are suggested.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- December 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982STIN...8324830S
- Keywords:
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- Baffles;
- Capillary Flow;
- Gravity Probe B;
- Liquid Helium;
- Centrifugal Force;
- Interfacial Tension;
- Rotating Bodies;
- Instrumentation and Photography