The Micro Radiation Environment Monitor (MuREM) and SSTL Radiation Monitor (SSTL RM) on TechDemoSat-1

Abstract

Abstract-Two new, miniaturised scientific radiation monitoring payloads are presented prior to their first flight on the TechDemoSat-1 Spacecraft. They are capable of monitoring the space radiation environment and its effects on radiation sensitive devices. MuREM and SSTL RM carry RADFET dosimeters, dose rate sensitive photodiodes and PIN diode particle detectors. SSTL RM is also connected to external RADFET sensors placed around the spacecraft, whilst MuREM carries a radiation effects payload consisting of COTS devices which will be monitored whilst exposed to the space radiation environment.

First results from the LUCID-Timepix spacecraft payload onboard the TechDemoSat-1 satellite in Low Earth Orbit

“…The project started in 2008, and was developed as a collaboration between Langton Star Centre secondary school student researchers, the Medipix Collaboration, and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), who built both LUCID and TDS-1. LUCID is part of the TDS-1 Space Environment Suite, which consists of the Miniature Radiation Environment and effects Monitor (MuREM, Taylor et al, 2012, Underwood et al, 2016, the Charged Particle Spectrometer (ChaPS, Kataria et al, 2013) and the Highly Miniaturized Radiation Monitor (HMRM, Mitchell et al, 2014, Guerrini et al, 2013. TDS-1 launched on 8 July 2014 (15:58:28 UTC) on a Soyuz-2-1b launch vehicle with Fregat-M upper stage from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, into a 635 km, 98.4 • Sun-synchronous orbit.…”

The LUCID-Timepix spacecraft payload and the CERN@school educational programme

“…Much of the subsequent operations, data management and analysis were led by secondary school researchers through the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS), with support from SSTL and the Medipix collaboration1. LUCID is part of the TDS-1 Space Environment Suite, which consists of the Miniature Radiation Environment and effects Monitor (MuREM, [16,17]), the Charged Particle Spectrometer (ChaPS, [18]) and the Highly Miniaturized Radiation Monitor (HMRM, [19,20] LUCID began data collection shortly after launch, and data collection ceased on the 4th July 2017. TDS-1 operations have now ended, and at some point in the medium-term it will be deorbited by the Icarus-1 Cranfield Drag Augmentation System de-orbiter [21] which will over the next 25 years guide the spacecraft into the Earth's atmosphere, where it will disintegrate.…”

“…The project started in 2008, and was developed as a collaboration between Langton Star Centre secondary school student researchers, the Medipix Collaboration, and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), who built both LUCID and TDS-1. Much of the subsequent operations, data management and analysis were led by secondary school researchers through the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS), with support from SSTL and the Medipix collaboration.1 LUCID is part of the TDS-1 Space Environment Suite, which consists of the Miniature Radiation Environment and effects Monitor (MuREM, [16,17]), the Charged Particle Spectrometer (ChaPS, [18]) and the Highly Miniaturized Radiation Monitor (HMRM, [19,20]). TDS-1 launched on 8 July 2014 (15:58:28 UTC) on a Soyuz-2-1b launch vehicle with Fregat-M upper stage from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, into a 635 km, 98.4 • Sun-synchronous orbit.…”