Session
Technical Session XI: Science/Mission Payloads I
Abstract
The low frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (below 15 MHz) is poorly explored due to the opacity of the Earth’s ionosphere and the need for large interferometric baselines to achieve useful angular resolution and sensitivity. A wide range of science topics would greatly benefit from measurements in this band, including magnetospheric planetary physiology, the study of solar radio bursts and coronal mass ejections, heliospheric and interstellar medium mapping, and studies of the early universe. Accessing this frequency range requires instrumentation above the Earth’s ionosphere and thus collections of data must be accomplished in space.
In this paper, we propose a CubeSat science payload consisting of a deployable vector sensor antenna optimized for the 1 to 30 MHz frequency range. The six elements of the antenna enable complete measurement of the E- and Bfield of incoming radiation at a single point in space. The complexity of a vector sensor is justified by an increase in sensitivity and the ability to mitigate terrestrial noise, which provides the potential to operate in lower-cost low earth orbits. A key aspect of the antenna is to provide the needed sensitivity in a small stowed volume. This is achieved with a vector sensor that measures 4m tip-to-tip and only occupies a stowed volume of 1U.
High Frequency (HF) Radio Astronomy from a Small Satellite
The low frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (below 15 MHz) is poorly explored due to the opacity of the Earth’s ionosphere and the need for large interferometric baselines to achieve useful angular resolution and sensitivity. A wide range of science topics would greatly benefit from measurements in this band, including magnetospheric planetary physiology, the study of solar radio bursts and coronal mass ejections, heliospheric and interstellar medium mapping, and studies of the early universe. Accessing this frequency range requires instrumentation above the Earth’s ionosphere and thus collections of data must be accomplished in space.
In this paper, we propose a CubeSat science payload consisting of a deployable vector sensor antenna optimized for the 1 to 30 MHz frequency range. The six elements of the antenna enable complete measurement of the E- and Bfield of incoming radiation at a single point in space. The complexity of a vector sensor is justified by an increase in sensitivity and the ability to mitigate terrestrial noise, which provides the potential to operate in lower-cost low earth orbits. A key aspect of the antenna is to provide the needed sensitivity in a small stowed volume. This is achieved with a vector sensor that measures 4m tip-to-tip and only occupies a stowed volume of 1U.
