| PROPOSAL NUMBER: | H3.04-9878 (For NASA Use Only - Chron: 012121 ) |
| PROPOSAL TITLE: | Spacecraft Charge Monitor |
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Since spacecraft cannot be "grounded," they are free to collect charge. Damaging discharge or arcing can take place when a spacecraft becomes highly charged. Efforts to mitigate (and study) spacecraft charging are hampered by the lack of an inexpensive, reliable spacecraft charge monitor.
We propose to develop a compact (~500 gram) spacecraft charge monitor. The instrument will use a novel technique (developed by Goembel Instruments) to determine spacecraft floating potential in low earth orbit and, possibly, in the solar wind. Since we first proposed the development of the device in an SBIR proposal two years ago, NASA has encouraged us to continue our research on the spacecraft charge monitor, and we have made great progress in designing a prototype instrument. If funding is awarded, we will construct a laboratory prototype instrument, including breadboard electronics, by the completion of Phase I. We expect that by the completion of Phase II we will have produced a fully laboratory-tested flight-ready instrument for trials in space. The market for the instrument will be NASA (i.e., for use on the International Space Station), the DoD, and others who are concerned about spacecraft charging in low earth orbit and, possibly, in the solar wind.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The spacecraft charge monitor could be used in conjunction with charge removal devices (such as ion or electron guns) to keep a spacecraft at an acceptable floating potential, and thereby help avoid costly system failures caused by electric discharge. The device will also be useful for science missions where knowledge of floating potential is needed for reliable space plasma measurements. Finally, the device will be useful in studies of the charging phenomenon and in the analysis of charge mitigation schemes.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
(Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Luke Goembel
Goembel Instruments
1020 Regester Avenue
Baltimore , MD 21239 - 1515
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Goembel Instruments
1020 Regester Avenue
Baltimore , MD 21239 - 1515