Front Surface Optic Contamination From Small Rocket Plumes

John Lester Miller; Gerard Steiner; Eugene Dryden

doi:10.1117/12.948117

5 April 1989 Front Surface Optic Contamination From Small Rocket Plumes

John Lester Miller, Gerard Steiner, Eugene Dryden

Proceedings Volume 0967, Stray Light and Contamination in Optical Systems; (1989) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.948117
Event: 32nd Annual International Technical Symposium on Optical and Optoelectronic Applied Science and Engineering, 1988, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Optics contamination from small Hydrazine, Al fueled solid, and BeH2/HAP rocket plumes is assessed for space based infrared sensors. Model predictions of BDRF and sensor level degradation caused by erosion cratering and gas condensation are presented as a function of area cratered and film thickness. The resulting reduction in sensor level S/N is determined and expressed as a percentage. Results for the case considered indicate mirror pitting is less than 2% of the clear optical area and film flux is 0.01 g/cm2/sec. The result for 250° K optics is a LWIR reduction in S/N of15`)/0 and a MWIR S/N reduction of 8%. This provides for sufficient sensor operation depending on whether the optics is originally sized to account for this degradation. These results are compared to limited laboratory tests.

Citation Download Citation

John Lester Miller, Gerard Steiner, and Eugene Dryden "Front Surface Optic Contamination From Small Rocket Plumes", Proc. SPIE 0967, Stray Light and Contamination in Optical Systems, (5 April 1989); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.948117

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