PORTABLE SPECTROREFLECTOMETER

THE INCREASING SIZE, COMPLEXITY, AND LONG LIFETIME REQUIREMENTS OF FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS PLACE MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MATERIALS USED ON SPACE VEHICLES. THE SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS USED ON GROUND AND SPACE SYSTEMS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO SYSTEMS DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS AND TO MISSION OPERATIONS. THIS IMPORTANCE IS MANIFESTED IN THE NEED TO CONTROL THE MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE OF MATERIALS TO GROUNDHANDLING AND THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT. CURRENT INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS ARE LABORATORY DEVICES THAT PROVIDE HIGH RESOLUTION TEST MEASUREMENTS FOR SMALL DISCRETE SAMPLES. MANY APPLICATIONS REQUIRE THE MEASUREMENT OF TEST ARTICLES WHERE IT IS UNDESIRABLE OR IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE A SMALL SAMPLE FOR LABORATORY EVALUATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP THE CONCEPTUAL AND FUNCTIONAL DESIGN FOR A PORTABLE SPECTROREFLECTOMETER TO MEASURE SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE OF EXTENDED SURFACES. THIS INSTRUMENT USES A PRISM MONOCHROMETER AND AN INTEGRATING SPHERE TO PROVIDE TOTAL HEMISPHERICAL REFLECTANCE MEASUREMENTS FROM 0.25 TO 2.5 MICROMETERS. CONFIGURATIONS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR A HAND-HELD UNIT FOR BOTH GROUND AND SPACE USE AND FOR A REMOTELY OPERATED UNIT SUITABLE FOR USE ON-ORBIT WITH A REMOTE MANIPULATOR SYSTEM.