The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was the second of NASA's Great Observatories. At 17 1/2 tons. it was the heaviest astrophysical payload ever flown at the time of its launch on April 5, 1991 aboard the Space Shuttle. During initial, on-orbit priming of the spacecraft's monopropellant hydrazine propulsion system, a severe waterhammer transient was experienced. At that time, anomalous telemetry readings were received from on-board propulsion system instrumentation. This led to ground analyses and laboratory investigations as to the root cause of the waterhammer, potential damage to system integrity and functionality, and risks for switching from the primary (A-side) propulsion system to the redundant (B-side) system. The switchover to B-side was ultimately performed successfully and the spacecraft completed its basic and extended missions in this configuration. Nine years later, following a critical control gyroscope failure, Compton was safely deorbited and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on June 4, 2000. Additional risk assessments concerning viability of A- and B-sides were necessary to provide confidence in attitude and delta-V authority and reliability to manage the precisely controlled reentry. This paper summarizes the design and operation of the propulsion system used on the spacecraft and provides 'lessons learned' from the system engineering investigations into the propellant loading procedures, the initial priming anomaly, mission operations, and the commanded re-entry following the gyro failure.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Compton Gamma Ray Observatory: Lessons Learned in Propulsion


    Contributors:
    G. A. Dressler (author) / G. W. Joseph (author) / H. W. Behrens (author) / D. I. Asato (author) / R. A. Carlson (author)

    Publication date :

    2001


    Size :

    14 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Compton Gamma Ray Observatory: Lessons Learned in Propulsion

    Dressler, G. A. / Joseph, G. W. / Behrens, H. W. et al. | NTRS | 2001


    Compton Gamma Ray Observatory - Lessons learned in propulsion

    Dressler, G. / Joseph, G. / Behrens, H. et al. | AIAA | 2001


    Orbital reboost of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

    Mangust, David / Markley, F / O'Donnell, James | AIAA | 1995


    Compton Gamma Ray Observatory highlights of the sky survey

    Steinle, H. | British Library Online Contents | 1993


    The Controlled Re-Entry of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

    Mangus, David J. / Bauer, Frank H. | NTRS | 2000