TransVERSE an Architecture for Configuring Astronomical Observations

An advance grounding system for electrical connectors includes a male attachment portion and a female receptacle portion. The male attachment portion contains a pair of current carrying electrical contact blades and a ground contact blade extending outwardly, with the ground blade having a length greater than the current carrying contacts. The female receptacle includes a pair of electrical terminals positioned in recesses and adapted to receive the current carrying contacts, and a ground terminal which extends to a point adjacent the inner face of the female receptacle. The ground terminal is arranged so that it is not possible for the current carrying blades to contact the female terminals before the ground blade contacts the female ground terminal when the male attachment portion is inserted into the female receptacle portion to complete the electrical connection.