RAM BURN OBSERVATIONS (RAMBO), TWO INVESTIGATIONS
Research Area: Spacecraft and Orbital Environments
Expedition(s): 13-16, 25-28
Principal Investigator(s): ● William L. Dimpfl, PhD, Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles,
California
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO) is an
experiment in which the Department of
Defense uses a satellite to observe space
shuttle orbital maneuvering system engine
burns. Its purpose is to improve plume
models, which predict the direction the
plume or rising column of exhaust will move
as the shuttle maneuvers in orbit.
Understanding the direction in which the
spacecraft engine plume or exhaust flows
could be significant to the safe arrival and
departure of spacecraft on current and
future exploration missions.
EARTH BENEFITS
While interactions at hyperthermal energies
are relatively rare on the surface of the
Earth, there are potential applications
relevant to the cutting-edge of technology,
including the understanding of high-
temperature plasmas and the production
and derivation of energy from controlled
fusion power sources.
SPACE BENEFITS
Applications in space include an understanding of plume flow fields that could be relevant to
the safe approach and departure of supply ships to the International Space Station (ISS) or
other spacecraft. They also include an understanding of background radiance produced by
plumes, impacting sensors designed for other observations. More generally the applications
include a contribution to understanding any phenomenon related to spacecraft that are
impacted by the poorly understood interactions of atoms and molecules at hyperthermal
energies that govern the environment around spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
This image shows the Glow experiment
documentation of Orbital Maneuvering System
(OMS)/Reaction Control System (RCS) pods and
vertical stabilizer from STS-007.