High-Level Spacecraft Charging at Geosynchronous Altitudes: A Statistical Study
Abstract
We present the results of a statistical study on high-level spacecraft charging at geosynchronous altitudes. Below the critical temperature T* for a surface material, no spacecraft charging occurs. The spacecraft charging potential data are obtained from the ion line of the ion energy spectrum. If the ion line can not be clearly identified, the data point is flagged and not used in our analysis. Since T* depends on the surface material and since each satellite has its own surface material or materials, each satellite is expected to have its own critical temperature. The coordinated space environmental parameter data of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) include spacecraft charging data measured on several geosynchronous satellites in eclipses and in sunlight over years. We have obtained statistical results of T* for each satellite studied and found that, beyond T*, the high-level spacecraft potential increases almost linearly with the ambient electron temperature. Amazingly, the critical temperature in sunlight remains the same as in eclipse, agreeing with the monopole-dipole differential charging model. This work offers a useful method not only for predicting the onset of spacecraft charging in eclipse and in sunlight but also for predicting high-level spacecraft charging potential with reasonable accuracy at any given ambient electron temperature in the geosynchronous environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA428383
Entities
People
- Maurice Tautz
- Shu T.F. Lai
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory