Charging of the DMSP F-2 Spacecraft in the Aurora on 10 January 1983,

Abstract

Two independent instruments on the spacecraft showed charging to a moderate (65 volts) negative potential. The electron spectrometer showed a flux of 2 x ten to the 9th power electrons cm/sec/ster peaked at 9.5 keV. This was marginally sufficient to overcome the flux of cold ambient ions. Charging calculations are presented showing where simplifications are justified and where serious uncertainties exist. More serious charging is predicted for the Shuttle in polar orbit.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 26, 1984
Accession Number
ADA146303

Entities

People

  • A. G. Rubin
  • A. L. Besse
  • D. A. Hardy

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Classification
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Flux
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Geophysics
  • Ions
  • Orbits
  • Particles
  • Polar Orbits
  • Security
  • Shielding
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Charging
  • Spectra
  • Spectrometers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Battery Technology and Engineering
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster