Radiation Hardness
Total ionizing dose (TID) testing was performed on an unshielded instrument at NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center's Cobalt 60 Radiation Test Facility in Greenbelt, Maryland. Testing was
performed for 14 days at a dose rate of 16 RADs per minute or 23 kRADs per day
for a TID of >306 kRADs. The test concluded after 14 days as allocated
facility time had expired. The instrument was fully re-tested after radiation
exposure. Parametric shifts were minimal (bias offset change of <0.07 mG)
and the easily met all specifications.
EMI
EMI testing was performed at the Orbital Sciences Environmental Testing Facility
in Germantown, Maryland, and Windermere Environmental Test Facility in
Annapolis, Maryland. The instrument passed all tests. Tests performed
were: RS103, RE102, CE101, CS06, CE102/ CS101, CS114, CS101 Rev. D
Random Vibration
Random vibration and shock testing was performed at the Orbital Sciences Environmental Testing
Facility in Germantown, Maryland. The TFM100S qualified to 23G RMS in all three
axes. The TFM100G2 qualified to 27G RMS in all three axes. The TFM100 baseline design has also been tested and qualified by Northrop
Aviation for flight use in a military program. Among the tests performed, was a
nine hour 28 G RMS random vibration test.
Lightweight Shock
Two series of 180 kilogram sliding ballistic pendulums were applied to the
housing from distances of 30 cm, 90cm and 150 cm. All parameters
were measured before and after shock testing. The instrument values were
virtually identical before and after shock testing, indicating no degradation
in performance.
Thermal Cycling
Thermal cycling from -24°C to +60°C, was performed 7 times in the Billingsley Aerospace non-magnetic environmental chamber.
Thermal Vacuum
Thermal vacuum testing was performed at Swales Aerospace in Beltsville, Maryland.
The instrument was cycled from -15°C to +55°C at 10-5 torr, 6
hour soak at each temperature extreme.
