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Plasma Interactions with a Negative Biased Electrodynamic TetherThe ProSEDS conductive tether design incorporates two distinct types of tethers from a plasma interaction viewpoint. The 200 m closest to the Delta 11 spacecraft is insulated from the plasma, and the remaining 5000 m is semi-bare. This latter portion is semi-bare because it has a conductive coating applied to the wires to permit electron collection while also regulating the overall tether temperature. Because the tether possesses these two distinct types of tethers, a transition point exists between the two types that form a triple point with the space plasma. Insulated tethers can suffer from a second plasma interaction if the insulation is weakened or breached, such as by pinholes caused by small particle debris strikes. Because electrodynamic tethers are typically long, they have a high probability of such impacts. These impacting particles may not be of sufficient size to severe the tether, but they can easily be of sufficient size to damage the tether insulation. Samples of both the ProSEDS tether transition region and the insulated tether section (with various degrees of pinhole damage) were placed into the MSFC plasma chamber and biased to typical ProSEDS open circuit tether potentials (-500 V to -1600 V). The results of the testing showed that the transition region of the tether (i.e. the triple point) arced and burned the tether in two at -900 V, and the damaged insulated sections arced and burned in two between -1000 V and -1600, depending on the pinhole damage geometry. tether design and make the tether ready for flight. To reduce the pinhole arcing risk, ProSEDS mission operations were changed to eliminate the negative potential on the tether. The results of the testing campaign and the design changes implemented to ensure a successful flight will be described.
Document ID
20030111906
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Vaughn, Jason A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Welzyn, Ken J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Curtis, Leslie
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
August 18, 2003
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Meeting Information
Meeting: 8th Spacecraft Charging Conference
Location: Huntsville, AL
Country: United States
Start Date: October 20, 2003
End Date: October 24, 2003
Funding Number(s)
OTHER: 718-30-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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