A THERMAL IMAGING SYSTEM FOR NASP STRUCTURAL TESTING

PSI TECHNOLOGY COMPANY (PSIT) PROPOSES TO BUILD AND DEMONSTRATE AN OPTICAL INSTRUMENT FOR RELIABLY AND ACCURATELY MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF ADVANCED STRUCTURAL MATERIALS BEING TESTED FOR USE IN HYPERSONIC AEROSPACE VEHICLES SUCH AS THE NATIONAL AEROSPACE PLANE (NASP). THE INSTRUMENT WILL BE AN ADAPTATION OF PSIT'S INNOVATIVE SHORT-WAVELENGTH OPTICAL PYROMETRY CONCEPT, BUT WILL BE DESIGNED TO AVOID INTERFERENCES DUE TO REFLECTION OR SCATTERING OF THE EMISSION FROM THE VORTEK LAMP USED TO HEAT THE MATERIALS. A CAPABILITY FOR SINGLE POINT MEASUREMENTS OVER THE ENTIRE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF INTEREST AND WITH THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE ACCURACY AND RESOLUTION WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AT THE NASP HIGH TEMPERATURE TESTING LABORATORY DURING PHASE I. THIS WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING A THERMAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT WITH THE SAME ACCURACY DURING PHASE II.