Sapphire Viewports for a Venus Probe

The proposed Phase 1 program will demonstrate that sapphire viewports are feasible for use in Venus probes. TvU's commercial viewport products have demonstrated that the pressure and temperature constraints will be met, while the use of materials appropriate to the atmospheric conditions will satisfy the overall physical constraints. The viewport system will be shown to be adaptable to overall NASA use constraints. A prototype viewport system will be designed for fabrication and testing, and application in Phase 2. Task work will detail the design of both the window and the fixture, test a sample, and emphasize the most important aspects of the design and specification. Phase 1 work will lay out the foundation for a Phase 2 program that will integrate these viewports into the NASA Venus probe program.