International Space Station Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model

This paper documents thruster plume induced contamination measurements from the PIC (Plume Impingement Contamination) and SPIFEX (Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment) flight experiments.The SPIFEX flight experiment was flown on Space Shuttle mission STS-64 in 1994. Contamination measurements of molecular deposition were made by XPS (X-ray Photo Spectroscopy). Droplet impact features were also recorded with SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) scans on Kapton and aluminum foil substrates.The PIC flight experiment was conducted during STS-74 in 1996. Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCMs) measured contaminant deposition from U.S. and Russian thruster firings. Droplet impact observations were made with SEM scans of the Shuttle RMS (Remote Manipulator System) camera lens.These flight experiments were successful in providing measurements of plume induced contamination as well as droplet impact damage. These measurements were the basis of the plume contamination models developed for the International Space Station (ISS).

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“…4,5 The experiment was successful in characterizing the initial contaminant deposition as well as the evaporation of the contaminant layer.…”

Section: Impact Features On the Pic Camera Lensmentioning

confidence: 98%

Thruster-plume-induced contamination measurements from the PIC and SPIFEX flight experiments

2002

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“…This included ISS thrusters used for reboost/attitude control as well as thrusters on visiting vehicles (i.e., Orbiter, Soyuz, and Progress). Of key interest were thrusters with a centerline view to the experiment, because this is where the highest contamination flux is expected [8].…”

Section: B Thruster Plume Induced Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This model uses flight experiment and chamber test data for contamination characterization [8]. The plume contamination model is also coded into the NASAN-3 contamination computer tool to analyze a given thruster's effect on an ISS configuration.…”

Section: B Thruster Plume Induced Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Induced-Contamination Predictions for the Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device

Steagall

Smith

Soares

et al. 2009

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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The return of International Space Station external experiments provides an opportunity to compare calculations of induced contamination with measurements from flight hardware. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device, which was attached to the exterior of the Russian service module, is one such experiment. The Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device experiment was purposed for particle capture (i.e., micrometeoroids and orbital debris) and materials exposure over varied durations. The experiment consisted of three identical units, which were mounted outside the International Space Station for periods ranging from 10 months to almost 4 years. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of various locations on the three Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device units has shown up to 950A of contamination deposition. Contamination analyses were performed to compare with measured contamination levels on each Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device unit. Material outgassing and thruster plume induced contamination were calculated using analytical and semi-empirical models developed by the Boeing Space Environments Team. Measurable levels of silicon-based contamination were predicted on the ram side, whereas a combination of silicon-based and thruster plume induced contamination was predicted for the wake side. Predictions of contamination depths were within a factor of 3, showing good agreement with measured contamination.

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“…The International Space Station (ISS) Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model developed by ISS Space Environments is a semi-empirical model anchored in flight experiment data and has been a vital tool for characterizing the thruster plume-induced contamination environment at the ISS. [1] The current model utilizes flight experiment data from the Plume Impingement Contamination (PIC) and Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX) studies, which include Orbiter 3870 N Primary Reaction Control System (PRCS) and Russian 130 N thrusters, each operating in pulse mode with pulse widths of 80-100 ms. [2] Contamination due to thruster plumes occurs in the liquid phase (i.e., unburned or partially burned propellant in the plume). Liquid phase releases primarily occur during thruster startup and shut-down phases, with the steady state phase contributing a small amount relative to the total contaminant mass released.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

International Space Station Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model update for short thruster pulse widths

Fox

Steagall

Usher

et al. 2023

IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng.

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The International Space Station (ISS) Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model has been a vital tool for characterizing the thruster plume-induced contamination environment at the ISS but was not intended to be used for very short thruster pulse widths. This paper presents an updated model that ensures full start-up and shut-down phases are modeled for each thruster firing, when the majority of liquid phase contaminant mass is released. The updated ISS Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model prevents potential under-prediction of thruster plume-induced contamination due to visiting vehicle proximity operations and provides a way to take advantage of thruster start-up and shut-down performance data gathered during thruster test programs, if available.

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International Space Station Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model

Cited by 9 publications

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Thruster-plume-induced contamination measurements from the PIC and SPIFEX flight experiments

Thruster-plume-induced contamination measurements from the PIC and SPIFEX flight experiments

Induced-Contamination Predictions for the Micro-Particle Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device

International Space Station Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model update for short thruster pulse widths

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