Abstract The two Vega spacecraft carried electric field and Langmuir probes on booms extending from the outer edges of the solar panels. Impulsive signal increases were observed simultaneously with all sensors and occurred more frequently towards closest approach. These events have been interpreted as impacts of dust particles (m > 10−10 g) on the spacecraft, which acted as a large dust collector, with a cross-section area of about 10 m2 perpendicular to the ram direction. These results are discussed on the background of other Vega dust measurements.


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    Title :

    Impacts of large dust particles on the Vega spacecraft


    Contributors:
    Laakso, H. (author) / Grard, R. (author) / Pedersen, A. (author) / Schwehm, G. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1989-01-01


    Size :

    4 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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