Environmentally induced discharges on satellites

Abstract

The problem of assessing hazards to geosynchronous satellite systems from geomagnetic substorm encounters is investigated. The available space flight data, coupled with analytical modeling studies, show that only relatively low differential charging is possible from environmental encounters. Using an analytical study of a discharge event on SCATHA, a discharge process is postulated where a small amount of charge is lost to space. These characteristics could then be used as inputs to a coupling model to determine the hazard to a spacecraft. The procedure is applied to a three axis stabilized satellite design