Abstract The Gravity-Probe-B Relativity Gyroscope Experiment (GP-B) will measure the geodetic and frame-dragging precession rates of gyroscopes in a 650 km high polar orbit about the earth. The goal is to measure these two effects, which are predicted by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, to 0.01% (geodetic) and 1% (frame-dragging). This paper presents the development progress for full-size prototype flight hardware including the gyroscopes, gyro readout and magnetic shielding system, and an integrated ground test instrument. Results presented include gyro rotor mass-unbalance values (15–86 nm) due the thickness variations of the thin niobium coating on the rotor, interior sphericities (163–275 nm peak-to-valley) of fused-quartz gyro housings produced by tumble lapping, gyro precession rates (gyroscopes at 5 K) which imply low mass-unbalance components parallel to the gyro axis (23–62 nm), and demonstration of a magnetic shielding factor of 2×1010 for the gyro readout system with one shielding component missing (the gyro rotor). All of these results are at or near flight requirements for the GP-B Science Mission, which is expected to be launched in 1995.


    Zugriff

    Zugriff prüfen

    Verfügbarkeit in meiner Bibliothek prüfen

    Bestellung bei Subito €


    Exportieren, teilen und zitieren



    Titel :

    The gravity-probe-b relativity gyroscope experiment: Development of the prototype flight instrument


    Beteiligte:
    Turneaure, J.P. (Autor:in) / Everitt, C.W.F. (Autor:in) / Parkinson, B.W. (Autor:in) / Bardas, D. (Autor:in) / Breakwell, J.V. (Autor:in) / Buchman, S. (Autor:in) / Cheung, W.S. (Autor:in) / Davidson, D.E. (Autor:in) / DeBra, D.B. (Autor:in) / Fairbank, W.M. (Autor:in)

    Erschienen in:

    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1989-01-01


    Format / Umfang :

    10 pages




    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch



    The Gravity-Probe-B relativity gyroscope experiment - Development of the prototype flight instrument

    Turneaure, J. P. / Everitt, C. W. F. / Parkinson, B. W. et al. | NTRS | 1989


    The gravity probe B relativity gyroscope program

    Everitt, C. W. Francis / Parkinson, B. W. / Turneaure, J. P. | NTRS | 1989



    Gyroscope Relativity Experiment

    R. Decher | NTIS | 1971


    Orbit Selection for the Stanford Relativity Gyroscope Experiment

    R. Vassar / J.V. Breakwell / C.W.F. Everitt et al. | AIAA | 1982