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Shuttle charging by tether controlled electron beam
Author(s) -
Burke W. J.,
Bonifazi C.,
Hardy D. A.,
Machuzak J. S.,
Gentile L. C.,
Olson D. G.,
Huang C. Y.,
Gilchrist B. E.,
Lebreton J.P.,
Gurgiolo C. A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/97gl03191
Subject(s) - electron , physics , atomic physics , satellite , ionization , space shuttle , ionosphere , beam (structure) , cathode ray , magnetic field , ion , nuclear physics , optics , geophysics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
During the reflight of the tethered satellite system, the electron generator assembly (EGA) emitted steady electron beams six times with the satellite deployed between 6.2 and 16.1 km. Maximum beam energies and currents were 1.65 keV and 0.4 A, respectively. Data presented here show that: (1) emissions create local electron clouds that can charge the shuttle, (2) ionization of thruster gas by beam electrons in the sheath did not reduce the shuttle potential, (3) the EGA utilizes more than half the induced potential, and (4) ionospheric density gradients and magnetic field orientations affect the circuit's potential distribution.