Prospects and Challenges for Touchless Sensing of Spacecraft Electrostatic Potential Using Electrons

Bengtson, Miles; Hughes, Joseph; Schaub, Hanspeter

doi:10.1109/tps.2019.2912057

Cited by 29 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…For on orbit applications, however, relevant separation distances are on the order of tens of meters. Previous simulation work has shown that the signal remains above a reasonable detection threshold, even for separation distances on the order of tens of meters (Bengtson, Hughes, et al, 2019). Whereas the electric field about a charged object falls off with the inverse of the distance squared, the signal current captured at a given distance depends on the voltages of each craft.…”

Section: General Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Previous analysis has investigated the expected electron signal magnitude in comparison to the background space environment currents (Bengtson, Hughes, et al, 2019). These results show that, for several representative cases, the signal magnitude is greater than or on the same order as the background magnitude.…”

Section: Theory and Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The proposed concept works by using a co‐orbiting sensing spacecraft to measure the energies of electrons emitted from the target object (Bengtson & Schaub, 2019; Bengtson, Hughes, et al, 2019). Both passive and active sensing modes are possible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental Results of Electron Method for Remote Spacecraft Charge Sensing

2020

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Remote charge sensing is a technique that can provide valuable insight into spacecraft‐environment interactions, as well as enable missions that leverage electrostatic interactions between multiple spacecraft or involve docking maneuvers in harsh charging environments. The concept discussed in this paper uses a co‐orbiting servicing spacecraft to measure the energies of secondary electrons or photoelectrons that are emitted from the target object with initial energies of a few electron volts. The electrons are accelerated toward the servicing spacecraft, which is at a known positive potential (relative to the target), where they are measured by an energy analyzer. Given the potential of the servicing spacecraft, the potential of the target can be accurately determined. Results are presented from experiments conducted in a vacuum chamber to investigate the touchless sensing concept. Specifically, the feasibility and accuracy of the electron method is considered for different materials, charge scenarios, and relative geometries. The results show that the surface potential of a flat plate can be accurately determined for a range of metallic surface materials, voltages, and relative angles.

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Section: General Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Theory and Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental Results of Electron Method for Remote Spacecraft Charge Sensing

2020

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“…A cursory, investigation of recent studies returned a substantial list of references, which assumed that the NASCAP default values for Al were appropriate for their modeling, including Davis et al (2017), Marchand and Lira (2017), Wang et al (2017), Hughes and Schaub (2018), Schmidl et al (2018), Wolfley (2018), Bengtson et al (2019), andPandya et al (2019). It is significant to note that this ambiguity for Al has also been propagated by other international charging codes, including MUSCAT (Nakamura et al, 2018) and European Space Agency (2018).…”

Section: Select Parameterized Yield Properties From a Limited Databas...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategies for Determining Electron Yield Material Parameters for Spacecraft Charge Modeling

Lundgreen

Dennison

2020

Space Weather

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Accurate modeling of spacecraft charging is essential to mitigate well-known and all-too-common deleterious and costly effects on spacecraft resulting from charging induced by interactions with the space plasma environment. This paper addresses how limited availability of electron emission and transport properties of spacecraft materials-in particular, secondary electron yields-and the wide ranges measured for such properties pose a critical issue for modeling spacecraft charging. It describes a materials charging database for electron emission properties under development, which facilitates more accurate spacecraft charge modeling when used in concert with the strategies outlined herein. These data and techniques provide tools for more accurate material selection, increased confidence in charge models, and a concomitant decrease in mission risk. They also allow better customization of models in response to prolonged space environment exposure and specific mission requirements, which may evolve materials properties.

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“…Therefore, the energy the electrons acquire prior to capture is equivalent to the potential difference between the surface and the detector. This method is applied to sense lunar surface charging by Halekas et al () and is examined in spacecraft scenarios by Bengtson et al () and experimentally by Bengtson and Schaub ().…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

X‐ray Spectroscopic Determination of Electrostatic Potential and Material Composition for Spacecraft: Experimental Results

2020

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Remote surface potential determination for nearby objects in space is an enabling technology for a range of space mission concepts, from improved rendezvous capabilities to touchless debris remediation with the electrostatic tractor concept. One concept is to use a nearby servicing spacecraft which fires electrons at the target. These electrons generate bremsstrahlung X-rays, and the resultant X-ray spectrum can be used to determine the landing energy of the electrons. By knowing the initial energy of the electrons, such as those emitted from an electron gun, the relative potential of the target can be inferred. The use of electron-induced X-rays to determine the electrostatic potential of a surface has previously been investigated theoretically, but this work demonstrates it experimentally. Accuracy is found to correlate to the angle between the detector and the target, and investigation of this relationship is a topic of future work. The mean error in landing energy is found to be approximately 1%, and the mean error in estimated plate voltage is found to be within the uncertainty of the high voltage power supply. Material determination is successfully demonstrated, using characteristic X-rays to identify elements that make up less than 0.5% by mass of the target sample. Several possible means of improving landing energy accuracy are discussed.

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Prospects and Challenges for Touchless Sensing of Spacecraft Electrostatic Potential Using Electrons

Cited by 29 publications

References 38 publications

Experimental Results of Electron Method for Remote Spacecraft Charge Sensing

Experimental Results of Electron Method for Remote Spacecraft Charge Sensing

Strategies for Determining Electron Yield Material Parameters for Spacecraft Charge Modeling

X‐ray Spectroscopic Determination of Electrostatic Potential and Material Composition for Spacecraft: Experimental Results

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