Small Satellite Constellations for Space Weather and Space Environment Measurements
- Paper number
IAC-08.B4.2.3
- Author
Mr. Aaron Rogers, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Larry Paxton, The John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Small satellites are well suited to making measurements of the near-Earth space environment. Some examples of important near-Earth space environment parameters are: 1) the number flux and energy of energetic particles in the auroral region and/or the radiation belts, 2) the number density temperature and composition of neutrals and ions in the upper atmosphere (the thermosphere and ionosphere, respectively), 3) the wind speed in the upper atmosphere (above 200 km), 4) the ion drift velocity and/or DC component of the electric field, and 5) small scale fluctuations in the ionosphere that lead to radio scintillation. The upper atmosphere is fundamentally different from the lower atmosphere because it is a weakly ionized plasma and, consequently, reacts to drivers from above (the magnetospheric electric field) and wave and tidal forcing from the stratosphere and mesosphere. Because of this the timescales for changes are much shorter than in the lower atmosphere and a purely dynamical description is not adequate. Measurements from many local solar times are required in order to characterize the normal variability in the upper atmosphere. Space weather is the day-to-day (or shorter) variation about that mean condition for the space environment parameters. Recent advances in the maturity and development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for sensor and spacecraft component applications have enabled new capabilities for advancing space weather understanding. Specifically, the US National Science Foundation, NASA, and US Air Force are interested in the use of innovative small, comparatively inexpensive satellite constellations equipped with MEMS sensors to characterize the space environment. In this paper the use of an integrated solution will be addressed that spans the range of potential science objectives, enabling sensor technologies, triple-cubesats (<5kg) and nanosatellite (<50kg) system design, and the associated data processing and distribution plan. In addition, details related to a JHU/APL effort with a planned 2009 mission schedule to serve user communities requirements for near-Earth space environment and space weather data will also be discussed.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.B4.2.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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