MEASURING METHOD OF REMAINING AMOUNT OF PROPELLANT OF ASTROGATION BODY

摘要

PURPOSE:To measure precisely the remaining amount of propellant from the latter period of the life of an astrogation body to the end period by powering on electric heaters fitted to a propellant tank and heating the propellant, and calculating variation in heat capacity from a temperature rise. CONSTITUTION:The electric heaters 12 are fitted to the propellant tank 1 at plural outside positions, and a temperature detector 13 which detects the temperature of the propellant 10 in th propellant tank 1 heated by the electric heaters 12 is provided. Then when the remaining amount of the propellant 10 is measured, the electric heaters 12 are powered on to heat the propellant 10. This propellant 10 rises in temperature by being heated and its temperature rise is detected by the temperature detector 13. The specific heat of the propellant is already known, so the temperature detection output (temperature history) is contrasted with a specific expression regarding variation in heat capacity to easily calculate the weight of the propellant 10.