An impact penetrometer for a landing spacecraft

Lorenz, Ralph D., Bannister, M., Daniell, P.M., Krysinski, Z., Leese, M.R., Miller, Rosalind, Newton, G., Rabbetts, P., Willett, D.M., Zarnecki, John C. and others. (1994) An impact penetrometer for a landing spacecraft. Measurement Science & Technology, 5 (9). pp. 1033-1041. ISSN 0957-0233. (doi:10.1088/0957-0233/5/9/001) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:19868)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/5/9/001

Abstract

The design, development and calibration of an impact force transducer or penetrometer, for use on the Huygens spacecraft scheduled to land on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, is described, The thumb-sized transducer employs a piezoelectric sensing element and is capable of working at cryogenic temperatures. Use of the sensor on a spacecraft imposes several reliability and safety constraints, as well as the desire to minimize mass (the sensor mass is 15 g). The impact force profile, measured at 10 kHz by the sensor, allows estimation of the density and cohesion of the surface material, and its particle size distribution. Sample profiles for terrestrial materials (sand, gravel and clay) are given.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1088/0957-0233/5/9/001
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) > TA165 Engineering instruments, meters etc. Industrial instrumentation
Divisions:	Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Engineering and Digital Arts
Depositing User:	O.O. Odanye
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2009 22:11 UTC
Last Modified:	05 Nov 2024 09:56 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/19868 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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