Measuring Charge Storage Decay Time and Resistivity of Spacecraft Insulators

Salt Lake Community College

An informal discussion of how accurate measurements of resistivity and increasing understanding of the behavior of insulating materials used on spacecraft is fundamental to advancing the design and utility of the spacecraft. Build up of charge can vary between different areas of the spacecraft, with excess charge accumulating and leading to functional anomalies or component failure. The most important parameter in determining how charge will decay through an insulator is the resistivity of the material. Current industry standards for measuring resistivity have been shown to be inconsistent with actual phenomena, and new methods of measuring resistivity must be developed and implemented. The charge storage method shows promise for both increasing the quality of measurement and gaining new insight into the interior behavior of insulators.