Sampling probe is extended through small plug in heat shield by loaded bellows to sample planetary atmosphere for compositional analysis and total pressure during entry of space probe. Assembly prevents contamination of sample by gases from pyrotechnic device and serves as sealed plenum for atmospheric pressure sensor

Jones, G. M.

Jones, W. J.

Mitchell, G. D.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

May 1974	 B74-10054 
• 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Ames Research Center	 - £ A 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Extendible Probe for Atmosphere Sampling 
Sealed Metal 
Bellows 
Probe  
Mold Line—.----	 : r
To Gas Sampling 
Plenum 
(/L 	 _ 
Extended 
Tube	 Plug
Outer Inner 
Tube Tube
To Total 
Pressure Sensor 
Pyro Pin Puller 
S
The problem: 
To sample a planetary atmosphere for composi-
tional analysis and total pressure during entry of a 
space probe it is necessary to deploy a probe through 
the heat shield which covers the cone of the probe. 
The solution: 
A sampling probe which is extended through a 
small plug in the heat shield by a loaded bellows. 
How it's done: 
As indicated in the diagram, gas samples are 
ducted to a sampling plenum through a tube which 
is concentrically housed within an extendible outer 
tube. Deployment is initiated by a pyrotechnic pin-
puller device, which releases the preloaded metal 
bellows; the thrust from the bellows causes the de-
ployable tube to push a plug out of the forward heat
shield and to extend 5 cm beyond the mold line of 
the shield into the flow field. Ambient gases enter the 
extended tube and are then routed by the inner tube 
to a mass spectrometer for compositional analysis; 
the outer tube routes the gases to a pressure sensor 
for total pressure measurement. 
The bellows assembly also prevents contamination 
of the sample by gases from the pyrotechnic device 
and serves as a sealed plenum for the atmospheric 
pressure sensor. 
Note: 
No additional documentation is available. Specific 
questions, however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Reference: B74-10054
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740000054 2020-03-17T14:03:40+00:00Z
Patent status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 	
. 
Source: Walter J. Jones, George D. Mitchell, 
and Gary M. Jones of
McDonnell Douglas Corporation 
under contract to
Ames Research Center 
(ARC-10829)
. 
B74-10054	 Category 03


Extendible probe for atmosphere sampling

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