Results of the Telstar Radiation Experiments

Abstract

The data from the particle experiments of the Telstar satellite have been analyzed to provide maps of the distribution of electrons and protons as measured in three of the Telstar detectors during the period from July through October, 1962. For the protons between 26 and 34 Mev and >50 Mev, the particle distributions are stable in time, but for the electron distribution there is a time decay of the electron flux over most of the region explored by the Telstar orbit. The connection of these observations to the high‐altitude nuclear explosion of July 9, 1962, is discussed. The introduction of additional electrons by Russian tests at the end of October was also observed. The particle maps have been used to derive the integral particle exposure of the satellite, which is found to account quantitatively quite well for the radiation damage observed in the main solar power plant and in the radiation damage experiments on solar cells and special damage transistors carried by the satellite. In the main power plant the proton and electron contributions to damage are found to be equal. The integral particle exposure has also been used to compute the level of ionization in different depths of material in order to evaluate the degradation of semiconductor devices in the Telstar canister.

Space Research and Space Weather: Some Personal Vignettes 1965 to Early 1980s

“…Prior to Telstar, Walter, promoted to a Department Head in 1959, had researched various topics in solid state physics, including field effects on the surface conductance in germanium and charged particle effects on solids. Based largely upon Walter's successes with his Telstar detector systems (especially measuring the results of the radiation produced in the magnetosphere by the Starfish Prime high‐altitude nuclear test [see, e.g., Brown et al, ; Gombosi et al, ] on the day prior to Telstar's 10 July 1962 launch), Walter had been invited to participate in several NASA projects. These included instruments on the Explorer 15 and 26 satellites and a Relay satellite.…”

IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference: Notes on the Early Conferences

“…This was borne out immediately with the launch of the RELAY satellite, which actually flew and demonstrated both types of solar cells. For additional information on the TELSTAR and RELAY satellites, the reader may want to review two Bell Systems Technical Journal articles [8,9].…”

The Solar Cells and Their Mounting

“…A detailed comparison of the equivalent I-Mev flux damage with the measured proton and electron fluxes is given in Ref. 20.…”