Environmental Interactions of Polar Orbiting Satellites,
Abstract
Addressed are questions concerning how large, and/or high-power, polar-orbiting spacecraft will interact with auroral environments. This paper discusses some experiences of spacecraft charging, vehicle shadowing, and current leakage encountered by AFGL measuring systems on small, polar-orbiting satellites. Because spacecraft charging at ionospheric altitudes does not seriously threaten the operation of present systems this subject has not received the widespread attention given to it at geostationary altitudes. As a matter of economics it is desirable to transfer as much as possible of what we have learned about spacecraft interactions at geostationary orbit to the auroral oval. Economics must not however blind us to the real differences between the two problems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 25, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADP002110
Entities
People
- W. J. Burke
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory