A Simple Model of the Effect of Solar Array Orientation on SMART-1 Floating Potential

Author

Hilgers, Alain ; Thiebault, Benoit ; Estublier, Denis L. ; Gengembre, Eric ; Del Amo, Jose Antonio Gonzalez ; Capacci, Marco ; Roussel, Jean-Francois ; Tajmar, Martin ; Forest, Julien

Author_Institution

Eur. Space Agency, Noordwijk

Volume

34

Issue

5

fYear

2006

Firstpage

2159

Lastpage

2165

Abstract

Results from SMART-1 plasma measurements indicate that the spacecraft is, in general, floating 10 to 30 V negative with respect to the ambient plasma and that the floating potential varies with the orientation of the solar array with respect to the direction of the thrust. It is shown in this paper that a wake created behind the solar panel by the plasma generated in the plume by charge exchange and expanding toward the spacecraft may explain such a potential variation

Keywords

aerospace propulsion; ion engines; plasma simulation; space vehicle power plants; space vehicles; SMART-1 floating potential; charge exchange; solar array orientation; space vehicle power system; space vehicle propulsion; spacecraft; Aircraft manufacture; Current measurement; Packaging; Plasma applications; Plasma diagnostics; Plasma measurements; Pollution measurement; Propulsion; Space technology; Space vehicles; Space vehicle power system; space vehicle propulsion;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2006.883405

Filename

1710093