Open AccessMicrosatellite to study plasma bubbles in ionosphere
Author(s) -
Zielinski Sarah
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2007eo130007
Subject(s) - ionosphere , satellite , plasma , power consumption , spectrometer , remote sensing , aerospace engineering , environmental science , physics , power (physics) , astronomy , geology , engineering , optics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
An experimental instrument called the Flat Plasma Spectrometer, which was launched onboard a U.S. Air Force Academy microsatellite on 8 March, will study depletions in the ionosphere known as plasma bubbles that can disrupt satellite communications. The six‐month mission will demonstrate the effectiveness of the new instrument, which has been reduced to the size of a teacup. Reducing the size, weight, and power consumption of satellite instruments, such as this one, is expected to lower the cost of construction and launch and allow more of them to be flown simultaneously