Rotating Gravity Gradiometer Development. Volume 2. Analysis of the Requirements for a Gravity Gradiometer Platform.

摘要

The purpose of this contract was to further the development of the Hughes Rotating Gravity Gradiometer (RGG). The scope of effort was limited to studies and performance tests and demonstrations in the laboratory environment. Two RGG sensors were involved. The first, RGG-1, was built in 1974 and 1975 under the prior contracts. The second, RGG-2, was designed and built during the course of this contract. The initial scope of work included various tasks to test and modify RGG-1, with the goal of determining configuration changes to be incorporated in RGG-2. Specifically, the performance results obtained with RGG-2 demonstrate that: the design goals have been met for thermal and electronics noise; the sensor output noise goals have nearly been met for the vertical spin axis orientation; considerable optimism is warranted that the sensor output noise goals can be met for the horizontal spin axis orientation; and continued development is both necessary and warranted. In summary, the availability of a platform and the performance success of RGG-2 permit immediate consideration of a follow-on program which would test and demonstrate all the components of a gravity gradiometer system. It is the recommendation of this report that the Hughes RGG sensor be integrated with a platform at the earliest possible time, and tested in the laboratory environment. It is also the recommendation of this report that the RGG-1 sensor be retrofitted up to the RGG-2 configuration to permit simultaneous development and test efforts.