Session
Technical Session X: The Technology Frontier-- Advanced Technologies, Subsystems, and components for Small Satellites: Section I
Abstract
Future endeavors to study near-Earth space science will involve small satellite fleets deployed in orbits designed to help resolve space-time ambiguities. Key measurements to be made will include threedimensional drifts of the ionized and neutral constituents of the atmosphere above altitudes of about 150 km. In anticipation of these future missions we have begun to redesign our existing instrumentation for such opportunities. We describe these efforts as related to an ion drift meter instrument that has a long and distinguished flight heritage. Examples of the improvements in power budget and physical size are estimated for the redesigned instrument, and various technological approaches that are conducive to measuring very small currents are discussed. The results are briefly extrapolated to other instrument designs, and comparative estimates based on performance and power requirements are provided.
Presentation Slides
Ongoing Miniaturization Efforts for Ion and Neutral Vector Velocity Instruments
Future endeavors to study near-Earth space science will involve small satellite fleets deployed in orbits designed to help resolve space-time ambiguities. Key measurements to be made will include threedimensional drifts of the ionized and neutral constituents of the atmosphere above altitudes of about 150 km. In anticipation of these future missions we have begun to redesign our existing instrumentation for such opportunities. We describe these efforts as related to an ion drift meter instrument that has a long and distinguished flight heritage. Examples of the improvements in power budget and physical size are estimated for the redesigned instrument, and various technological approaches that are conducive to measuring very small currents are discussed. The results are briefly extrapolated to other instrument designs, and comparative estimates based on performance and power requirements are provided.
