The Boeing Company
Solar radiography for non-destructive inspection

Abstract:

The present disclosure provides for Non-Destructive Inspection of craft operating in high-atmosphere or outer space, by positioning a scintillating detector array leeward to a structural element of the craft relative to the Sun; collecting, by the detector array while the craft is in flight, solar radiation passing through the structural element; and outputting a radiographic image based on the solar radiation collected to an image analyzer. The image analyzer may composite several images taken over a period of time or decomposite images of intervening structural elements from the radiographic images. Automated alerts for non-conformances between the radiographic images and earlier-taken or architectural images are provided to users.