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GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

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Result: By using the porous plug, we were able to maintain a steady pressure and temperature inside the Dewar.The liquid helium stayed within a few millikelvin of 1.8K throughout the mission. In turn, this allowed thescience instrument to operate properly at superconducting temperatures and enabled us to collect 11.5 monthsof relativity data to test Einstein.Historical Note: The porous plug was developed at <strong>Stanford</strong> specifically for the <strong>GP</strong>-B experiment, but it flew onboth the NASA IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) and COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) spacecraftprior to the launch of <strong>GP</strong>-B.3.2.3.2 Nested Expanding Lead BagsFigure 3-11. Lead bag magnetic shield in <strong>GP</strong>-B flight probeChallenge: Earth’s magnetic field interferes with the hyper-sensitive magnetometer (SQUID), which reads eachgyroscope’s orientation to within 0.5 milliarcseconds (1.4x10 -7 degrees).Solution: Block out the ambient magnetic field by surrounding the science instrument with a “lead bag.” Fourlead bags are actually used. The first one is inserted and expanded, partially reducing the magnetic field (by theratio of final to initial volume.) Another bag is then inserted inside the first one and expanded, further reducingthe magnetic field inside the second bag. The outer bag is then cut away. This process is repeated two moretimes, all but eliminating the magnetic field within the innermost bag. At this point the <strong>Probe</strong>, containing thegyroscopes and SQUIDS is inserted inside the final remaining lead bag.Result: The series of four nested and expanded lead bags reduces the magnetic level to less than 10-6 gauss.Then, magnetic shields surrounding each individual gyroscope and other local magnetic shields attenuate themagnetic variation down to 10 -14 gauss.82 March 2007 Chapter 3 — Accomplishments & Technology Innovations

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