Accession Number:

ADA280951

Title:

Pre-Flight POLAR Code Predictions for the CHAWS Space Flight Experiment

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.

Corporate Author:

PHILLIPS LAB HANSCOM AFB MA

Personal Author(s):

• Cooke, David L.
• Talbot, John
• Shaw, Graeme

Report Date:

1994-01-31

Pagination or Media Count:

18.0

Abstract:

The POLAR code is a 3D plasma simulation which has been used to design and predict the behavior of the Charge Hazards and Wake Studies CHAWS space flight experiment. The most recent results from the POLAR code are presented here prior to the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. CHAWS will measure the current-voltage IV characteristic of a high voltage probe mounted on the wake side of the Wake Shield Facility WSF free flyer. POLAR results indicate that ion currents to the negatively biased probe will be near zero only for potentials less than 30 to 300 Volts in magnitude. As the potential increases to the CHAWS limit of -5 kilo-Volts, the ion current will quickly rise to levels comparable to that which the probe would collect if orbiting unshielded.

Descriptors:

• *SPACECRAFT
• *SPACECRAFT CHARGING
• COMPUTER PROGRAMS
• SIMULATION
• PREDICTIONS
• THREE DIMENSIONAL
• SPACE SHUTTLES
• SHIELDING
• CONTAMINATION
• POISSON EQUATION
• PLASMA SHEATHS
• SPACE CHARGE
• AURORAE
• WAKE
• ELECTRONS
• CODING
• EARTH ORBITS
• PROBES

Subject Categories:

• Atmospheric Physics
• Astronautics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE