NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Transonic Facility (NTF) which employed high-resolution tube cameras and required the manual measurement of targets on
video hardcopy images. The new system eliminates both the vibration-induced distortion associated with tube cameras and the
manual readup of video images necessary in the earlier version. Camera calibration and data reduction procedures necessary
to convert pixel image plane data from two cameras into wing deflections are presented. Laboratory tests to establish the
uncertainty of the new system with the geometry to be used at the NTF are described.
Author
Deformation; CCD Cameras; Digital Systems; Transonic Wind Tunnels; Video Communication
20040120901 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
Imaging System For Measuring Macromolecule Crystal Growth Rates in Microgravity
Corder, Eric L.; Briscoe, Jeri; February 05, 2004; 2 pp.; In English; Microscopy and Microanalysis 2004, 1-5 Aug. 2004,
Savannah, GA, USA; Original contains color illustrations
Contract(s)/Grant(s): 400-22-30-33; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy
In order to determine how macromolecule crystal quality improvement in microgravity is related to crystal growth
characteristics, a team of scientists and engineers at NASA’s Marshal Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed flight hardware
capable of measuring the crystal growth rates of a population of crystals growing under the same conditions. As crystal growth
rate is defined as the change or delta in a defined dimension or length (L) of crystal over time, the hardware was named
Delta-L. Delta-L consists of three sub assemblies: a fluid unit including a temperature-controlled growth cell, an imaging unit,
and a control unit (consisting of a Data Acquisition and Control Unit (DACU), and a thermal control unit). Delta-L will be
used in connection with the Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology (g-LIMIT) inside the Microgravity
Science Glovebox (MSG), onboard the International Space Station. This paper will describe the Delta-L imaging system. The
Delta-L imaging system was designed to locate, resolve, and capture images of up to 10 individual crystals ranging in size
from 10 to 500 microns with a point-to-point accuracy of +/- 2.0 microns within a quartz growth cell observation area of 20
mm x 10 mm x 1 mm. The optical imaging system is comprised of a video microscope camera mounted on computer
controlled translation stages. The 3-axis translation stages and control units provide crewmembers the ability to search
throughout the growth cell observation area for crystals forming in size of approximately 10 microns. Once the crewmember
has selected ten crystals of interest, the growth of these crystals is tracked until the size reaches approximately 500 microns.
In order to resolve these crystals an optical system with a magnification of 10X was designed. A black and white NTSC camera
was utilized with a 20X microscope objective and a 0.5X custom designed relay lens with an inline light to meet the
magnification requirement. The design allows a 500 pm crystal to be viewed in the vertical dimension on a standard NTSC
monitor (4:3 aspect ratio). Images of the 10 crystals are collected periodically and stored in sets by the DACU.
Author (revised)
Macromolecules; Crystal Growth; Microgravity; Imaging Techniques; Microscopes
20040120967 National Inst. of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Japan
Journal of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. Special Issue on Time and
Frequency Standard, Volume 50, Nos. 1/2
Igarasgi, Kiyoshi, Editor; Tomita, Fumihiko, Editor; Yoshimoto, Shigetoshi, Editor; Morikawa, Takao, Editor; March/June
2003; ISSN 1349-3205; 225 pp.; In English; Copyright; Avail: Other Sources
This issue is a special issue on Time and Frequency Standard. The articles are presented in 5 sections: An introduction,
Basics of Time and Frequency Standard, Atomic Frequency Standards, Precise Time and Frequency Transfer, and Generation
and Dissemination of Time and Frequency Standard. The articles in the 2nd section are: Definitions of Time and Frequency
Standard, Basic Measures of Time and Frequency Standards, and Relativisitic Effects in Time and Frequency Standards. The
articles in the third section are: Basic Physics in the Atomic Frequency Standards, Optically Pumped Cesium Primary
Frequency Standard, Development of Atomic Fountain Primary Frequency Standard at CRL,The Improvement of Frequency
Stability Using the Collimation Apparatus of the Launched Atomic Fountain, Precise Frequency Measurement using Trapped
Zinc Ions, Hydrogen Maser and Compact Clocks Using a Thin Cesium Cell. The next section (i.e. Precise Time and Frequency
Transfer) has these articles: Basic Measurement Techniques on Time and Frequency Transfer, GPS Common View, Two Way
Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer, Time Comparison Equipment for ETS-VII Satellite -Part 1 Development of Flight
Model and Part 2 Plans of Precise Time Transfer Experiment The fifth section’s articles about Generation and Dissemination
of Time and Frequency Standard are: Algorithm of Ensemble Atomic Time, Generating and Measurement System for Japan
Standard Time, JJY,The National Standard on Time and Frequency in Japan, Global Mutual Recognition Arrangement (Global
MRA) and Traceability, Frequency Standards Calibration System and Remote Calibration System, Development of the Trusted
122