Summary of Environmentally Induced Electrical Discharges on the P78-2 (SCATHA) Satellite.

Abstract

The mission of the P78-2 (SCATHA) satellite, launched in January 1979, is to measure parameters related to the spacecraft charging process near synchronous orbit. The Pulse Analyzer experiment onboard measures the shape of pulses on four sensors; 447 days of data have been analyzed. Thirty-four pulses on twenty different days have been related to electrical discharges with dominant frequencies between 5 and 32 MHz and peak amplitudes from 0.08 to 30.1 volts into a 50 ohm load. The amplitude of four of the pulses exceeded by a factor of five those measured during systems factory tests. This indicates that the present test specification is inadequate to simulate the EMI levels experienced by a payload from worst-case on-orbit discharges. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 1983
Accession Number
ADA140077

Entities

People

  • Harry C. Koons

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplitude
  • Analyzers
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Detectors
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Beams
  • Frequency
  • Materials
  • Materials Science
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Pulse Analyzers
  • Space Systems
  • Space Transportation
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Charging
  • Spectra
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Satellites