Space vehicle electrical system Patent

Electrical power system for space flight vehicles operating over extended period

Electromagnetic hammer removes weld distortions from aluminum tanks

Distortions around weld areas on sheet-aluminum tanks and other structures are removed with a portable electromagnetic hammer. The hammer incorporates a coil that generates a controlled high-energy pulsed magnetic field over localized areas on the metal surface

Electrical discharge apparatus for forming Patent

Electric discharge apparatus for electrohydraulic explosive formin

Angular measurement system Patent

Characteristics and performance of electrical system to determine angular rotatio

Electro-optical alignment control system Patent

Electro-optical system for maintaining two-axis alignment during milling operations on large tank-section

Method and apparatus for precision sizing and joining of large diameter tubes Patent

Method and apparatus for precision sizing and joining of large diameter tubes by bulging or constricting overlapping end

Magnetomotive forming for precision sizing and joining of large-diameter tubes

Portable electromagnetic coil enables high precision expansion or constriction and joining of large diameter metal tubes. A nonconducting mandrel or forming die is used on the side of the tubes wall opposite the coil. The coil is insulated from the tube by a thin plastic sleeve

Magnetomotive metal working device Patent

Portable magnetomotive hammer for metal workin

High-Pressure Oxygen Test Evaluations

The relevance of impact sensitivity testing to the development of the space shuttle main engine is discussed in the light of the special requirements for the engine. The background and history of the evolution of liquid and gaseous oxygen testing techniques and philosophy is discussed also. The parameters critical to reliable testing are treated in considerable detail, and test apparatus and procedures are described and discussed. Materials threshold sensitivity determination procedures are considered and a decision logic diagram for sensitivity threshold determination was plotted. Finally, high-pressure materials sensitivity test data are given for selected metallic and nonmetallic materials

Materials and processes for shuttle engine, external tank, and solid rocket booster

The Shuttle flight system is composed of the Orbiter, an External Tank (ET) that contains the ascent propellant to be used by the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME), and two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB). The ET is expended on each launch; the Orbiter and SRB's are reusable. It is the requirement for reuse which poses the exciting new materials and processes challenges in the development of the Space Shuttle. A brief description of the Space Shuttle and the mission profile is given. The Shuttle configuration is then described with emphasis on the SSME, ET, and SRB. The materials selection, tracking, and control system used to assure reliability and to minimize cost are described, and salient features and challenges in materials and processes associated with the SSME, ET, and SRB are subsequently discussed