The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) is being developed by NASA to accommodate, using the Space Shuttle, a class of technology, science and applications experiments which require a free-flying exposure in space, but which do not require a sophisticated or dedicated satellite. The facility is a simple reusable structure about 14 ft in diameter and 30 ft long, which is three-axis gravity-gradient stabilized when free flying in space. Various aspects of the LDEF are examined, including the attitude stabilization system, the experiment trays, the experiment exposure control canister,and the environment monitoring system. LDEF mission plans are considered, as is experiment selection - the space debris damage experiment, the thermal coating experiment, the solar cells and arrays experiment, and the active optical components experiment.
Long Duration Exposure Facility - A multipurpose free-flying experiment carrier
International Meeting on Utilization of Space Shuttle and Spacelab ; 1976 ; Bonn
1976-06-01
Conference paper
No indication
English