LDEF (Postflight), AO038 : Interstellar Gas Experiment, Tray H09

LDEF (Postflight), AO038 : Interstellar Gas Experiment, Tray H09 The post landing Interstellar Gas Experiment photograph was taken from the Orbiter's cargo bay access hatch during post landing operations to prepare the Orbiter for the ferry flight from the Dryden Flight Research Center to the Kennedy Space Center. A very light contamination stain is present on the experiment tray flanges and on the most of the visible LDEF structure. The exception being the darker stain on the structure adjacent to thermal covers that provide venting for the LDEF interior. Both paint dots appear to be heavily coated with the brown contamination stain. The color of the white thermal control paint on the IGE has changed and now varies from off-white to a dark brown. The darker brown areas on the experiment baseplate, around the grid voltage cable connectors, appear to have come from contaminants flowing from inside the LDEF. A dark stain area can be seen on the lower half of the tray's left sidewall and in the lower left corner of the tray. A lighter stain coats portions of the experiment baseplate and the outside of the canister housing. A beryllium copper collector foil is clearly visible in the upper left canister housing as are the baffles and reflected light from the fine wire mesh grid near the top of the canister housing. Due to an experiment system malfunction, the canister collector foils that are visible were exposed for the total mission.

NASA Identifier: L92-21193 S32-S-286