3.0 Part Description

The "453" connector is Amphenol-Bendix's high reliability miniature circular connector made to the performance and dimensional specifications of MIL-C-38999, the military's specification for electrical, miniature, circular, connectors. Amphenol-Bendix's "453" was designed for NASA applications with "low outgassing" materials. It is defined as environmental class (removable contacts, non-hermetic) and scoop-proof, triple start, self-locking, threaded coupling style (a.k.a. Series III) with a wall mount flanged receptacle (the connector mating occurs on the other side of the panel to which the receptacle is attached). The metal shells are electroless nickel plated aluminum. Various polymers make up the contact insert, gasket, grommet and spacer. Standard military backshells can be used with the "453" connector. In this evaluation, both a straight saddle-clamp type and a straight backshell with auxiliary grommet were used.

The M29504 optical termini conform to the MIL-T-29504/4 and /5 specifications. These termini are designed to fit in the contact cavities of the MIL-C-38999 connector as securely and reliably as size 16, MIL-C-39029 electrical contacts. MIL-T-29504/4 and /5 specifically reference MIL-C-38999 as the corresponding connector for these termini. The termini are designed with a stainless steel body and ceramic ferrule. The ceramic ferrule retains and precisely aligns the bare fiber. The fiber is captivated by heat cured epoxy in the ferrule and the rest of the optical cable components, such as the jacket and strength members, are captured by the terminus crimp sleeve and heat shrink tubing. The "socket" terminus (MIL-T-29504/5) employs a spring and stainless steel, slotted, alignment sleeve to facilitate precisely aligned, physical contact (PC) with the "pin" terminus (/4). The pin terminus is used in the receptacle-half of the connector and the socket is used in the plug-half of the connector. Amphenol-Bendix is the only QPL source for these termini. Table I in Appendix A shows manufacturer ratings for the parts tested.

The test assembly consisted of one connector pair with four contact pairs. The socket termini were housed in the plug-half and the pins were in the receptacle-half. The contacts were terminated to Brand-Rex's OC-1008 Flight Light cable which incorporates a Corning graded index (100/140 m size) radiation hard fiber. On the free ends of each of the eight cable segments was an Amp "905" SMA connector (compliant with MIL-C-83522).