Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft

Burks, M; Cork, C P; Eckels, D; Hull, E; Madden, N W; Miller, W; Goldsten, J; Rhodes, E; Williams, B

doi:10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219

Title: Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

A gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) has been built and delivered to the Mercury MESSENGER spacecraft which launched on August 3, 2004, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The GRS, a part of seven scientific instruments on board MESSENGER, is based on a coaxial high-purity germanium detector. Gamma-ray detectors based on germanium have the advantage of providing excellent energy resolution, which is critical to achieving the science goals of the mission. However, germanium has the disadvantage that it must operate at cryogenic temperatures (typically {approx}80 K). This requirement is easy to satisfy in the laboratory but difficult near Mercury, which has an extremely hot thermal radiation environment. To cool the detector, a Stirling cycle mechanical cooler is employed. In addition, radiation and conduction techniques a are used to reduce the GRS heat load. Before delivering the flight sensor, a complete thermal prototype was built and tested. The results of these test, including thermal design, radiative and conductive heat loads, and cooler performance are described.

Authors:: Burks, M; Cork, C P; Eckels, D; Hull, E; Madden, N W; Miller, W; Goldsten, J; Rhodes, E; Williams, B

Publication Date:: 2004-10-13

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 15014669

Report Number(s):: UCRL-CONF-207362
TRN: US200802%%1436

DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

Resource Type:: Conference

Resource Relation:: Journal Volume: 1; Conference: Presented at: IEEE, 14th International Workshop on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X- and Gamma-Ray Detectors, Rome, Italy, Oct 16 - Oct 22, 2004

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUMM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 42 ENGINEERING; CRYOGENICS; DESIGN; ENERGY RESOLUTION; GERMANIUM; HEAT EXCHANGERS; MERCURY; PERFORMANCE; RADIATIONS; SPECTROMETERS; STIRLING CYCLE; THERMAL RADIATION

Citation Formats


                    Burks, M, Cork, C P, Eckels, D, Hull, E, Madden, N W, Miller, W, Goldsten, J, Rhodes, E, and Williams, B. Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft.  United States: N. p., 2004. 
        Web.  doi:10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219.

Copy to clipboard


                    Burks, M, Cork, C P, Eckels, D, Hull, E, Madden, N W, Miller, W, Goldsten, J, Rhodes, E, & Williams, B. Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219

Copy to clipboard


                    Burks, M, Cork, C P, Eckels, D, Hull, E, Madden, N W, Miller, W, Goldsten, J, Rhodes, E, and Williams, B. 2004.  
        "Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15014669.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_15014669,

  title        = {Thermal Design and Performance of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for the MESSENGER Spacecraft},

  author       = {Burks, M and Cork, C P and Eckels, D and Hull, E and Madden, N W and Miller, W and Goldsten, J and Rhodes, E and Williams, B},

  abstractNote = {A gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) has been built and delivered to the Mercury MESSENGER spacecraft which launched on August 3, 2004, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The GRS, a part of seven scientific instruments on board MESSENGER, is based on a coaxial high-purity germanium detector. Gamma-ray detectors based on germanium have the advantage of providing excellent energy resolution, which is critical to achieving the science goals of the mission. However, germanium has the disadvantage that it must operate at cryogenic temperatures (typically {approx}80 K). This requirement is easy to satisfy in the laboratory but difficult near Mercury, which has an extremely hot thermal radiation environment. To cool the detector, a Stirling cycle mechanical cooler is employed. In addition, radiation and conduction techniques a are used to reduce the GRS heat load. Before delivering the flight sensor, a complete thermal prototype was built and tested. The results of these test, including thermal design, radiative and conductive heat loads, and cooler performance are described.},

  doi          = {10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/15014669},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = 1,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2004},

  month        = {10}

}

Copy to clipboard

Conference:

View Conference (0.51 MB)

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2004.1462219

Other availability

Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar records in OSTI.GOV collections:

Keeping Cool Close to the Sun

Technical Report Hazi, A

The germanium detector in the gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) aboard the MESSENGER spacecraft is only the size and weight of a can of peaches but will play a critical role in investigating Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft travels at about 38 kilometers per second and is named after the scientific goals of the mission. It is the first spacecraft to visit Mercury since 1975. MESSENGER must take an oblique route to approach Mercury so that it does not fly past the planet and fall directly into the Sun. Themore »« less
https://doi.org/10.2172/883732

Full Text Available
GeMini: The Next Generation Mechanically-Cooled Germanium Spectrometer

Conference Burks, M

The next-generation mechanically-cooled germanium spectrometer has been developed. GeMini (GErmanium MINIature spectrometer) has been designed to bring high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy to a range of demanding field environments. Intended applications include short-notice and surprise inspections where positive nuclide identification of radioactive materials is required. GeMini weighs 2.75 kg (6 lbs) total including the detector, cryostat, cryocooler, batteries, electronics and readout. It is very low power allowing it to operate for 10 hours on a single set of rechargeable batteries. This instrument employs technology adapted from the gamma-ray spectrometer currently flying on NASA's Mercury MESSENGER spacecraft. Specifically, infrared shielding techniques allow formore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2008.4774671

Full Text Available
The transient gamma-ray spectrometer: A new high resolution detector for gamma-ray burst spectroscopy

Journal Article Seifert, H; Baker, R; Cline, T; ... - American Astronomical Society, Bulletin; (United States)

The Transient Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (TGRS) to be flown aboard the WIND spacecraft is primarily designed to perform high resolution spectroscopy of transient gamma-ray events, such as cosmic [gamma]-ray bursts and solar flares, over the energy range 20 keV to 10 MeV with an expected spectroscopic resolution of E/[delta]E = 500. The detector itself consists of a 215 cm[sup 3] high purity n-type Ge crystal kept at cryogenic temperatures by a passive radiative cooler. The geometric field of view defined by the cooler is 170[degrees]. To avoid continuous triggers caused by soft solar events, a thin Be/Cu sun-shield around the sidesmore »« less
GeMini: The Next-Generation Mechanically-Cooled Germanium Spectrometer

Conference Burks, M

The next-generation mechanically-cooled germanium spectrometer has been developed. GeMini (MINIature GErmanium spectrometer) has been designed to bring high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy to a range of demanding field environments. Intended applications include short-notice inspections, border patrol, port monitoring and emergency response, where positive nuclide identification of radioactive materials is required but power and liquid cryogen are not easily available. GeMini weighs 2.75 kg for the basic instrument and 4.5 kg for the full instrument including user interface and ruggedized hermetic packaging. It is very low power allowing it to operate for 10 hours on a single set of rechargeable batteries. This instrumentmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2008.4774671

Full Text Available
Precession of Mercury’s Perihelion from Ranging to the MESSENGER Spacecraft

Journal Article Park, Ryan; Folkner, William; Konopliv, Alexander; ... - Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)

The perihelion of Mercury’s orbit precesses due to perturbations from other solar system bodies, solar quadrupole moment (J {sub 2}), and relativistic gravitational effects that are proportional to linear combinations of the parametrized post-Newtonian parameters β and γ. The orbits and masses of the solar system bodies are quite well known, and thus the uncertainty in recovering the precession rate of Mercury’s perihelion is dominated by the uncertainties in the parameters J {sub 2}, β, and γ. Separating the effects due to these parameters is challenging since the secular precession rate has a linear dependence on each parameter. Here wemore »« less
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/AA5BE2

Similar Records