The Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer experiment

A magnetic mass spectrometer currently is being adapted to the Space Shuttle Orbiter to provide repeated high-altitude atmosphere data to support in situ rarefied flow aerodynamics research, i.e., in the high-velocity, low-density flight regime. The experiment, called Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS), is the first attempt to design mass spectrometer equipment for flight vehicle aerodynamic data extraction, and will make the measurement of aerodynamic coefficients of the Shuttle Orbiter possible in low-density flow. The SUMS experiment will provide freestream atmospheric properties, principally mass density, above altitudes at which conventional pressure measurements are valid. Experiment concepts, the expected flight profile, tradeoffs in the design of the total system, and flight data reductipn plans are discussed. Development plans are based upon a SUMS first flight after the Orbiter initial development flights.