Development of the SPIRIT III sensor

Harry O. Ames; David A. Burt

doi:10.1117/12.178593

23 June 1994 Development of the SPIRIT III sensor

Harry O. Ames, David A. Burt

Proceedings Volume 2227, Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments VI; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.178593
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Engineering and Photonics in Aerospace Sensing, 1994, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

SD/US has built the SPIRIT III sensor that will be flown aboard the MSX spacecraft experiment and will operate for about 18 months. The MSX mission objective is to measure the spectral, spatial, and radiometric parameters of various orbital and suborbital targets; the earth's airglow, aurora, and other upper atmospheric phenomena; and the celestial background. This paper discusses the design and development of the SPIRIT III sensor--the primary instrument for collecting long-wave infrared data during the MSX mission. SPIRIT III consists of a sensor system and 19 electronic units distributed near the sensor and in the electronics section. The sensor assembly consists of an extremely high off-axis-rejection telescope, a radiometer, and an interferometer, all of which are cooled to cryogenic temperatures by a solid- hydrogen-filled dewar/heat exchanger. In addition to these, there are several ancillary/diagnostic instruments, including an autocollimator for alignment corrections, a cryogenic quartz-crystal microbalance to monitor contamination, an onboard signal data processor, various internal stimulation sources, and associated monitors, controls, and telemetry.

Citation Download Citation

Harry O. Ames and David A. Burt "Development of the SPIRIT III sensor", Proc. SPIE 2227, Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments VI, (23 June 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.178593

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