GLOBAL MICROWAVE IMAGER (GMI) SPIN MECHANISM ASSEMBLY DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND PERFORMANCE TEST RESULTS

摘要

The GMI Spin Mechanism Assembly (SMA) is arnprecision bearing and power transfer drive assemblyrnmechanism that supports and spins the GlobalrnMicrowave Imager (GMI) instrument at a constant raternof 32 rpm continuously for the 3 year plus mission life.rnThe GMI instrument will fly on the core GlobalrnPrecipitation Measurement (GPM) spacecraft and will bernused to make calibrated radiometric measurements atrnmultiple microwave frequencies and polarizations. ThernGPM mission is an international effort managed by thernNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)rnto improve climate, weather, and hydro-meteorologicalrnpredictions through more accurate and frequentrnprecipitation measurements [1]. Ball Aerospace andrnTechnologies Corporation (BATC) was selected byrnNASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to design,rnbuild, and test the GMI instrument. The SMA designrnhas to meet a challenging set of requirements and isrnbased on BATC space mechanisms heritage and lessonsrnlearned design changes made to the WindSat BAPTArnmechanism that is currently operating on-orbit and hasrnrecently surpassed 8 years of Flight operation.