3/07/94:   NEW TECHNOLOGY TO BE TESTED FOR NASA SAFETY OFFICE

Dwayne C. Brown
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                                        
March 7, 1994

RELEASE:  94-36

	 NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA), Washington,
D.C., will obtain valuable data from a flight test of a new laser-diode
initiated ordnance system on Orbital Sciences Corp. (OSC) Pegasus air-launch
space booster from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., in June. The system is essential to
OSMA's goal of using faster, better and cheaper systems in space and aeronautic
systems.

	"A successful test of the system will allow future spacecraft to
perform operations more efficiently and safely, " said Fred Gregory, Associate
Administrator for the OSMA.

	 The system is part of OSMA's Laser Initiated Ordnance System
Validation Program and until now the absence of operational experience and
critical test data was the major hurdle preventing the use of the system for
future NASA activities.  The system can be used for a variety of pyrotechnic
applications such as escape systems, spacecraft separation devices and flight
termination systems.  Currently, NASA and industry rely on electric current to
activate these mechanisms which require many safeguards to avoid accidentally
setting off the initiators.

	Under the planned concept, the laser initiated system may replace
electrical bridgewire initiation systems to reduce hazards from electromagnetic
interference and develop systems with no moving parts to increase reliability
of electrical systems.

 	"The safety record using electric current is excellent because there
are many elaborate safeguards designed to avoid accidental ignition.  However,
the laser initiated ordance will improve design, testing and operations to
achieve an even higher level of safety," said Norm Schulze, Manager of Safety,
Reliability and Quality Assurance Technologies, OSMA.

	Ensign Bickford, Inc., Simsbury, Conn., developed the system and will
test the technology for NASA. OSC will provide the flight vehicle at no cost to
NASA while costs to integrate the system demonstration will be funded by OSMA.
Results of the test will be transferred to industry and NASA.

	"Government and industry will work as a team to test and conduct the
flight demonstration of the system.  Industry will be able to market the
product and NASA would have demonstrated the system's technical feasibility,
safety and the potential for cost savings on future spacecraft and aeronautical
systems, " Schulze said.

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  Via FTL BBS (404-292-8761) and NASA Spacelink (205-895-0028)
