The Gravity Probe B electrostatic gyroscope suspension system (GSS)
| Autor: | D. N. Hipkins, C. W. F. Everitt, B. W. Parkinson, William J. Bencze, Michael Eglington, Robert W. Brumley, Y. Ohshima, Thomas J. Holmes |
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| Rok vydání: | 2015 |
| Předmět: |
Physics
Inertial frame of reference Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Rate integrating gyroscope Spacecraft business.industry Vibrating structure gyroscope Gyroscope Accelerometer law.invention Computer Science::Robotics law Physics::Space Physics Torque Aerospace engineering business Space vehicle |
| Zdroj: | Classical and Quantum Gravity. 32:224005 |
| ISSN: | 1361-6382 0264-9381 |
| Popis: | A spaceflight electrostatic suspension system was developed for the Gravity Probe B (GP-B) Relativity Mission's cryogenic electrostatic vacuum gyroscopes which serve as an indicator of the local inertial frame about Earth. The Gyroscope Suspension System (GSS) regulates the translational position of the gyroscope rotors within their housings, while (1) minimizing classical electrostatic torques on the gyroscope to preserve the instrument's sensitivity to effects of General Relativity, (2) handling the effects of external forces on the space vehicle, (3) providing a means of precisely aligning the spin axis of the gyroscopes after spin-up, and (4) acting as an accelerometer as part of the spacecraft's drag-free control system. The flight design was tested using an innovative, precision gyroscope simulator Testbed that could faithfully mimic the behavior of a physical gyroscope under all operational conditions, from ground test to science data collection. Four GSS systems were built, tested, and operated successfully aboard the GP-B spacecraft from launch in 2004 to the end of the mission in 2008. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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