Spacecraft/Flight: LDEF

JSC #: S32-82-006 LaRC #: L90-10454 KSC #: None

PI#: No value in DB Date: 01/12/1990

Description:

The flight photograph was taken from the Orbiter aft flight deck during the LDEF retrieval and shows the positions of four (4) LDEF experiments mounted in a three (3) inch deep LDEF peripheral tray.

The Ion Beam Textured and Coated Surfaces (IBEX) Experiment (S1003) is shown in the top one half (1/2) of the right section, the Balloon Materials Degradation Experiment (S1006) experiment is located in the center one third (1/3rd) section, the Multiple Foil Microabrasion Package (MAP) Experiment (A0023) occupies the left one third (1/3rd) section, and the Measurement of Heavy Cosmic-Ray Nuclei on LDEF Experiment (M0002-02) is located in the lower one half (1/2) of the right section of the tray. The tray flanges appear as prelaunch but the white paint dots on tray clamp blocks have varying degrees of discoloration. The paint color on the lower-center clamp block remained white, paint on the left-center clamp block is lightly discolored and paint on the upper-right clamp block is heavily discolored.

The Ion Beam Textured and Coated Surfaces (IBEX) experiment, located in the top one half (1/2) of the right tray section, consist of a thin aluminum thermal isolation plate. an adapter to raise the samples to the top of the experiment tray, an aluminum mounting plate, an alumigold coated aluminum retainer plate and 36 diverse sample materials on one inch diameter disc. Six openings in the mounting plate, covered with a stainless steel mesh, are used to vent the experiment interior. Twenty seven of the sample materials used an ion source to etch, sputter deposit or texture a surface to obtain the desired optical property or surface conductivity and seven samples are commercial paints or commercially available metallized thin films used for thermal control. Non- magnetic stainless steel fasteners are used for the experiment assembly and for attaching the experiment adapter plate to the tray structure. The experiment hardware appears to be intact with no apparent damage and experiment samples appear to have only minor changes. The IITRI S13G-LO white paint sample located to the right of the lower left corner vent screen has changed to a light brown color and the material sample located above the lower right corner vent screen is partially missing. Other material samples appear in prelaunch condition

Dimensions: 18.75 in. W x 16.50 in. L

Photo Collection: LDEF Retrieval Survey

Photo Credit: NASA-JSC