The paper discusses some of the results of vehicle electrical potential from recent sounding rocket experiments involving charging of a space platform by both electron beam emission and by the application of differential bias between elements of the platform. Conclusions are presented that are applicable to the experimental parameters of the CHARGE-2 and SPEAR-1 payloads. The currents collected by HV biased collectors in the sphere show strong magnetic limiting and are close to the values predicted by Parker and Murphy (1967). No volume breakdown was observed above 100 km altitude by exposing voltages up to 45 kV to the ionosphere in the SPEAR-1 payload. The release of gas at flow rates typical of ACS systems can provide sufficient plasma to electronically neutralize space platforms biased at either positive or negative potentials.
Recent experimental measurements of space platform charging at LEO altitudes
Advances in Space Research ; 12 , 12 D
01.12.1992
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Keine Angabe
Englisch
Electrical Charging of Space Platforms at Low Earth Orbit Altitudes
Online Contents | 1999
|Electrical Charging of Space Platforms at Low Earth Orbit Altitudes
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999
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