Abstract It is often said that only the solar array or spacecraft surfaces that can be reached by an arc plume are discharged in a solar array arc in LEO (low Earth orbit). We present definitive results from ground test experiments done in the National Plasma Interactions (N-PI) facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center that this idea is mistaken. All structure surfaces in contact with the surrounding plasma and connected to spacecraft ground are discharged,whether the arc plasma can reach them or not. Implications for the strength and damaging effects of arcs on LEO spacecraft are discussed, and mitigation techniques are proposed.


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    Title :

    SOLAR ARRAY ARCING IN LEO: How Much Charge is Discharged?


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2006-01-01


    Size :

    11 pages





    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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