Two gratings from a series of forty ruled in 1946 at The John Hopkins University by Professor John Strong and Mr. Wilbur H. Perry. They were used in the first generation of spectrographs prepared by the Naval Research Laboratory to be flown on V-2 missiles, Viking and Aerobee sounding rockets. The overall project was under the guidance of Dr. E.O Hulburt, Superintendent of the Optics Division, and was managed within Dr. R. Tousey's Micron Waves Branch. One grating was flown and recovered in perfect condition; the other was broken because of a hard impact. The gratings are of Rowland design, 40 mm radius, with 15,000 lines per inch ruled in an aluminum layer produced by vapor deposition.
These gratings are part of a suite of Naval Research Laboratory-designed instruments transferred to NASM in December 1983. See also A19840018000.
Display Status
This object is on display in Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
INSTRUMENTS-Scientific
Manufacturer
Johns Hopkins University
Dimensions
3-D: 23.5 x 20.3cm (9 1/4 x 8 in.)
Other (gratings): 5.1cm (2 in.)
Materials
Gratings, glass
Mounting, wood
Inventory Number
A19840018001
Credit Line
Transferred from the Naval Research Laboratory
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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