Lunar Sample Vacuum Container (View 2)
Varian Gate Valve Closed
Varian Gate Valve Open; Specimen Cup Retracted/Visable
Specimen Cup Deployed
Lunar Sample Vacuum System - Component Diagram
Lunar Receiving Laboratory
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Apollo Missions 11 and 12 |
LUNAR SAMPLE VACUUM TRANSPORT CONTAINER
An Apollo Lunar Sample Vacuum Container System used to transport and support experimentation on specimens returned by Apollo 11 and 12. The device, purposely designed and constructed under NASA Contract NAS 9-8098 by LRL Principle Investigators Dr, James P. Dawson, Dr Richard C. Birkebak and Dr Clifford J. Cremers, enabled loading, isolation, transportation (between NASA's Johnson Spaceflight Center Houston and the University of Kentucky's Department of Mechanical Engineering which operated a Laboratory and specially designed vacuum system to conduct thermophysical analysis of powered lunar samples returned by Project Apollo). The device ensured that lunar samples were delivered under vacuum conditions, free of contaminiation without exposure to any atmosphere other then that of the LRL or the container. Design considerations included a requirement that the sample transport device be compatable with both the LRL and University of Kentucky Vacuum systems and that the sample holder (cup), integral to the device, be remotely manipulatable with a linear motion of at least .25 meters (to allow introduction of the sample under vacuum conditions into the experimentation chamber). Experiments performed on the returned lunar speciments with this device included analysis of Thermal Radiative Features and Thermal Conductivity.
A detailed description of the Vacuum Sample Handling Container follows; reference the diagram at the lower left of this entry for a graphical depiction of component locations refered to in this discussion.
The entire system is constructed from 303 and 304 stainless steel and molded TFE fluorocarbon. The housing consists of three sections: a vacuum (Varian) gate valve airlock and two cylindrical sections for housing the linear motion mechanism, magnetic feedthrough, sample cup, and electrical feedthrough and wires. Meaurements of the device overall is .483 meters (length) and 63.5 milimeters (diameter). The sample cup was designed to hold a volume of powered lunar rock or soil 25.4 mm in diameter x 12.5 mm in depth. The cup body was molded from TFE fluorocarbon which was then coated with an evaporated aluminum film to reduce radiant heat losses. The assembly contains a heating disk and thermocouple for sample temperature measurements. Additional thermocouples and guard heaters could be installed if required by the experimental objectives. Braided lead wires were selected to reduce to a minimum wire failures due to repeat cup movements.
The Sample cup is held in place by two support rods. One rod is used to obtain linear motion, the second rod allows the heater and thermocouple leads to be brought out to the vacuum feedthroughs. A spring loaded cover prevented sample spillage when the sample cup was in the closed position. The translation of the sample cup nearly .25 meters is accomplished with a rack-and-pinion mechanism. Rotational motion of the magnetic feedthrough device is translated into linear motion by this mechanism. The rack is one of two support rods attached to the sample cup. The rack shaft is held in position by the shaft-and-rack guide cylinder. This cylinder contains ball bushings, support for the magnetic feed-through shaft and wire guide shaft. It is held in a fixed postion to the outer vacuum jacket. To prevent the electrical leads from becoming entwined with the rack teeth, a Teflon tube is slipped over the rack.
Lunar Sample Vacuum Container in Transport Case
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