ATS-5 and ATS-6 Potentials during Eclipse.

Abstract

ATS-5 and ATS-6 data for spacecraft charging during eclipse conditions is analyzed. ATS-5 and ATS-6 charged to voltages greater than 100 volts for about 55% of the eclipse periods examined. The mean spacecraft potential during eclipse was 2 keV for ATS-5, and the highest potential measured was 10 kilovolts. For ATS-6, the mean potential during eclipse was 4 keV, the highest potential measured being 20 keV. The average measured spacecraft potentials for both ATS-5 and 6 depend approximately linearly upon K sub p. This relationship is due mainly to the dependence of electron current density on K sub p near midnight. Spacecraft potentials at geosynchronous orbit may, to a rough approximation, thus be inferred from ground-based measurements of K sub p, the planetary 3-hour index. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 27, 1979
Accession Number
ADA074878

Entities

People

  • Allen G. Rubin
  • Henry B. Garrett

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Current Density
  • Databases
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Experimental Data
  • Geophysics
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Ground Based
  • Information Science
  • Measurement
  • Orbits
  • Secondary Emission
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Charging

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
  • AI & ML - Bayesian Inference
  • Microelectronics
  • Space