Development and verification of the TRACE telescope contamination math model

This paper describes a series of analyses undertaken to estimate the operational neutral direct flux contamination environment within the transition Region and Coronal Explorer telescope. These analyses included details concerning vent effectiveness. TQCM measurement response during instrument and observatory-level thermal-vacuum testing, and indirect location of unidentified sources. In particular, this paper describes analytical and computational model development and the level with which model results corroborated with a and supplemented data collected during instrument and observatory-level thermal vacuum testing. One issue successfully dealt with a recognized problem associated with TRASYS calculations of internal geometries through viewfactor normalization. Confidence in model result affected telescope design, with removal of a previously unrecognized source from the primary mirror base, and redesign and replacement of the telescope ascent vents.