The Preparation of 90mm and 100mm Bore Bearings for Performance Evaluation in a Simulated Space Environment.

摘要

Many past and present satellite systems employ despun antenna platforms to provide for data transfer as well as command and control communications. The mechanism which permits this antenna platform to be despun with respect to the rest of the satellite is called 'DESPIN MECHANICAL ASSEMBLY' or DMA. The heart of this assembly is the DMA bearing. Because this bearing is required to perform precisely over a long period of time, the preparation of this bearing for its mission is of critical importance. This report describes the techniques used to prepare DMA bearings for laboratory investigations which will lead ultimately to the development of accelerated life tests and prediction techniques. The need for careful inspection of bearings as well as the importance of a good physical characterization of the bearing components is discussed. Additionally, a detailed lubrication procedure is presented.