Conversion of a sounding rocket payload to the Shuttle/Spacelab Problems and payoffs

Abstract

The Naval Research Laboratory is converting its High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) sounding rocket payload for flight on Spacelab 2. The complex interfaces on Spacelab (including mechanical, thermal, electronic, computer, and pointing) have resulted in major changes to the HRTS payload and program. At present the Shuttle/ Spacelab program is not capable of accepting a sounding rocket payload essentially is. However, the vast increase in observing time, as well as the detailed real time interaction with a Payload Specialist, results in a substantial increase in scientific return and thus makes the conversion well worth the additional effort. Instrument Description The High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph graph (HRTS) instrument has been designed and constructed by the Naval Research Laboratory for solar ultraviolet spectroscopy in the 1200 to 1700 angstrom region. It has been flown three times as a sounding rocket payload and is now undergoing modifications for flight on Spacelab 2. The instrument, shown in Figure 1, consists of four optical systems: a concentric Gregorian telescope, a tandem Wadsworth spectrograph, a reversed tandem Wadsworth spectroheliograph and a tandem FabryPerot H-alpha slit display system. Basic parameters of each system are given in Table 1, while the optical principles of the two spectrographs are published elsewhere. ( l~ 2, Fig. 1 The High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) instrument on Spacelab 2. This paper is declared a work of the U.S. Governmentand therefore is in the public domain. Table 1. HRTS Instrument Parameters