Ionospheric Drivers of ISS Charging

Abstract:

Severe spacecraft surface charging in terrestrial environments typically results from exposure to energetic electrons at some 10’s of keV within auroral environments at high latitudes in low Earth orbit or hot thermal plasma in geostationary orbit. Predicting surface charging of a vehicle in these environments depends on our ability to specify and forecast auroral acceleration events and geomagnetic storms. Measurements of ISS frame charging to date, in contrast, are dominated by US 160V solar array interactions with the ionospheric plasma environment with little evidence for strong charging during geomagnetic storms. Predicting ISS charging, therefore, requires an ability to specify and forecast components of ionospheric variability of importance to high voltage solar array interactions with the plasma environment. This presentation provides examples of the ionospheric conditions responsible for typical and extreme ISS charging and discusses current capabilities to forecast these events. Specific examples are given for ISS frame charging observed when the vehicle passes through low latitude dawn density depletions, high latitude plasma troughs, and plasma depletions associated with equatorial spread-f conditions.