Spacecraft charging investigation for the CTS project
Abstract
Satellites in synchronous orbit have experienced electronic anomalies that are believed to be caused by discharges from spacecraft surfaces that were differentially charged by the space environment. Because of these environmentally induced anomalies, a program was undertaken to assess the impact of the discharge pulses on the joint Canadian-American Communications Technology Satellite (CTS). While this program includes both analytical and experimental investigations, only the experimental results to date are reported. All of the insulator surfaces tested experienced visible discharges when subjected to an electron beam with energy greater than 10 keV. The discharge rate was found to be a strong function of the current flux. Large areas of the insulator appeared to discharge in each event. The deployable solar array sample experienced discharges when bombarded on either the cell side or the kapton side.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975STIN...7532153S
- Keywords:
-
- Communication Satellites;
- Space Charge;
- Aerospace Environments;
- Bandpass Filters;
- Canada;
- Electron Beams;
- Solar Arrays;
- United States;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles