Document Type

Presentation

Journal/Book Title/Conference

15th Spacecraft Charging Technology Conference

Location

Kobe, Japan

Publication Date

6-26-2018

First Page

1

Last Page

3

Abstract

Wireless intra-spacecraft communication technology is being developed as a weight-saving and design-simplifying measure for signal transfer on space missions. One consideration for this new technology is its interaction with space-environment induced electrostatic discharges (ESD). The short time scales of spacecraft ESD events results in broad frequency signals that can interact with wireless antennae. These interactions present a source of signal noise. However, they may also present a possibility of in-flight wireless ESD monitoring.

We present laboratory measurements of arcing on common spacecraft insulators using commercially available single band 2.4 GHz and dual band 2.4/5.8 GHz Wi-Fi antennas. These wireless detections are shown to coincide with direct measurements of discharge event currents. The amplitudes of the wireless signals are shown to provide a measure of the relative magnitude of the arcs, although the narrow frequency range of Wi-Fi antennas makes absolute measures of the discharge impractical. The wireless signals are shown to provide very accurate timing of ESD events, which presents the potential of identifying arc location on a spacecraft from the use of detection from multiple antennas.

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