Surface potential monitor
Abstract
A monitor to measure electrostatic fields on spacecraft surfaces under geomagnetic substorm conditions is described. It uses a capacitance variation to translate the electrostatic field into an ac signal. Operating temperature is from minus 150 to plus 80 C; sensing electrostatic field is up to 50 kV/mm; front area is 2 x 2 sqcm; height = 2 cm. Vibration, thermal vacuum, and functional tests show that output is perfectly linear when compared with the signal of an external scanning probe. At cryogenic temperatures, a phase lock is needed to stay on resonant frequency and to stabilize or measure the vibration amplitude for any temperature.
- Publication:
-
Final Report Societe Europeenne de Propulsion
- Pub Date:
- August 1984
- Bibcode:
- 1984sepv.rept.....R
- Keywords:
-
- Electric Fields;
- Electric Potential;
- Magnetic Storms;
- Potentiometers (Instruments);
- Spacecraft Charging;
- Electron Irradiation;
- Low Temperature Tests;
- Space Environment Simulation;
- Thermal Vacuum Tests;
- Vibration Tests;
- Spacecraft Instrumentation