Session
Technical Session VIII: Poster Session
Abstract
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in conjunction with the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC), has developed a standardized electronics box that provides a simple, cost-effective structure to house various digital and analog electronic circuitry. The standard electronics box design adheres to the Lightsat principles of simple and inexpensive articles which can reliably perform various missions. This standard electronics housing design reduces repetitive design and testing costs; specifically, shock and vibration qualification testing, venting, fracture, and thermal analyses, and mass properties determination. The simple box design allows for ease of manufacture and a direct path for conductive thermal dissipation, and flexibility to handle various electronic applications. Reliability was achieved by designing the standard box to survive the repeated pressure cycling of multiple shuttle missions. While the standard housing is not a 'cure-all' design used for all purposes, it has worked well for many applications. Actual usage experience has enabled NRL to identify areas for future modifications using either contemporary or state-of-the-art technologies.
Design and Development of a Standardized Electronics Box
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in conjunction with the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC), has developed a standardized electronics box that provides a simple, cost-effective structure to house various digital and analog electronic circuitry. The standard electronics box design adheres to the Lightsat principles of simple and inexpensive articles which can reliably perform various missions. This standard electronics housing design reduces repetitive design and testing costs; specifically, shock and vibration qualification testing, venting, fracture, and thermal analyses, and mass properties determination. The simple box design allows for ease of manufacture and a direct path for conductive thermal dissipation, and flexibility to handle various electronic applications. Reliability was achieved by designing the standard box to survive the repeated pressure cycling of multiple shuttle missions. While the standard housing is not a 'cure-all' design used for all purposes, it has worked well for many applications. Actual usage experience has enabled NRL to identify areas for future modifications using either contemporary or state-of-the-art technologies.
