Shielding material helps satellite explore gamma-ray bursts

NASA Tech Briefs, Jul 2002

CO-NETIC AA alloy

Magnetic Shield Corp.

Bensenville, IL

630-766-7800

The Swift Mission is designed to study gamma-ray bursts in space, and is part of NASA Midex, an international collaboration of nine NASA specialists, labs, universities, and institutes. Managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, the mission is working to produce and launch a satellite in 2003 that will be dedicated to determine the origins of gamma-ray bursts, classify gamma-ray bursts, and search for new types.

The medium-sized explorer needed shielding material, which was provided in the form of a 6x4x2" deep shield of .020 CO-NETIC AA alloy to be affixed to a circuit board via extremely precise solder points that had to match up with counterparts on the board itself. The alloy had to be completely "lot traceable" and accurate to /-.003". In addition, 16 small apertures were positioned on one of the 6" faces of the shield.

Finally, the shield's "shoe box"-type lid was composed of numerous screws and dimples that also required exceptional accuracy. Magnetic Shield and Penn State University's Applied Research Lab designed a prototype, which was approved late last year. The four products to be used with four circuit board assemblies were shipped, and the best of them will be installed on the satellite.

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