Space Plasma Interactions with Spacecraft Materials

Abstract

Spacecraft materials on orbit are subjected to the harsh weather of space. In particular, high-energy electrons alter the chemical structure of polymers and cause charge accumulation. Understanding the mechanisms of damage and charge dissipation is critical to spacecraft construction and operational anomaly resolution. Energetic particles in space plasma break molecular bonds in polymers and create radicals that can act as space charge traps. These electron-induced chemical changes also result in changes to the spectral absorption profile of polymers on orbit. Radicals react over time, either recreating identical bonds to those in the pristine material, leading to material recovery, or creating new bonds, resulting in a new material with new physical properties. Lack of knowledge about this dynamic aging is a major impediment to accurate modeling of spacecraft behavior over its mission life. This chapter first presents an investigation of the chemical and physical properties of polyimide films (PI, Kapton-H ®) during and after irradiation with high-energy (90 keV) electrons. Second, the deleterious effects of space plasma on a spacecraft component level are presented. The results of this physical/chemical collaboration demonstrate the correlation of chemical changes in PI with the dynamic nature of spacecraft material aging.

Spacecraft Charging Due To Energetic Electrons and Ions at Geosynchronous Altitudes

“…In numerical analysis, we show the impact of ion currents besides electron current contribution on the surface of spacecraft at GEO altitudes, where the plasma density n 0 = 0.1 − 1 cm −3 is low and energy (∼keV) is high (Engelhart et al., 2018). The spacecraft charging is essentially described by a CBE, which gets modified by particle distributions including the Maxwellian and power‐law distribution functions.…”

High-Resolving Conical Electrostatic Energy Analyzer for Plasma Flows Investigations

“…Have also been real parameters of fast solar wind streams and coronal mass ejections used for investigations the characteristics of the example instrument and the accuracy of the analysis. In paper some important moments relate to interactions between space plasma -spacecraft materials are presented [51]. Energetic particles from space plasma flow can destroy the structure of the material and change chemical system of surface of the spacecraft.…”

“…Such effects may cause failures in connection systems, air-and spacecraft operations, in electronic systems, undesirable effects due the interaction of space particle stream with spacecraft material, for example, its surface charging. Moreover, they are dangerous for the orbital spacecraft crew due to the action of fast charged particle flow and electromagnetic radiation [51][52][53][54]. During these events crew on the orbital station (ISS) need to seek screen or shelter and to stop spacewalks.…”

Numerical Calculations of Charging Threshold at GEO Altitudes With Two Temperature Non‐Extensive Electrons

“…In particular, electrostatic discharges can destroy the functionality of spacecraft components thus making them ineffective or inactive (Prokopenko & Laframboise, 1980). It might obstruct telemetry signals and disrupt onboard scientific measurements or electronics (Engelhart et al., 2019).…”