A Study to Identify Hydrogen Maser Failure Modes

Creators: Popa, A. E.; Wang, H. T. M.; Bridges, W. B.; Chester, A. N.; Etter, J. E.; Walsh, B. L.

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Abstract

Technical problem areas are presented that may adversely affect the reliability of extended spaceborne operation of a hydrogen maser frequency standard in the Navstar Global Positioning System. Included are failures that have occurred in past maser designs even though such failures are now understood and could be circumvented in future designs. It is concluded that all the failure mechanisms are amenable to space qualification engineering. The greatest potential problem areas are dissociator stability and atom production, storage bulb lifetime in a space radiation environment, and radiation damage to the electronics subsystem, particularly sensors.

Additional Information

© 1976 IEEE. Date of Current Version: 05 December 2005. This work was supported by the Naval Research Laboratories under Contract N00014-75-C-1149, Robert B. Moore, Scientific Officer. We began our hydrogen maser studies by visiting a number of organizations active in the maser field and related activities. Specifically, we would like to acknowledge contributions from the following groups: H. E. Peters (NASA, retired) and V.S. Reinhardt at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; N. F. Ramsey and D. Larson at Harvard University: our own divisions at Hughes Aircraft Company working in related areas of technology; R. Sydnor and P. Dachel at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of California Institute of Technology; R. L. Easton, V. Folen, and R. B. Moore at the Naval Research Laboratories; H. Hellwig and F. Walls of the Boulder Laboratories of NBS; R. F. C. Vessot and M. W. Levine at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; and S. B. Crampton and H. T. M. Wang (now with Hughes Research Laboratories) at Williams College.

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