Electrostatic Noise in the Plasma Environment Around the Shuttle

The Langmuir probe flown as part of the Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) package aboard the space shuttle flight STS-62 was used to determine plasma potential fluctuations in the vicinity of the shuttle. The broadband noise was observed at frequencies 250 - 20,000 Hz. Measurements were performed in ram conditions; thus, it seems reasonable to believe that the influence of spacecraft operations on plasma parameters was absolutely negligible. The average spectrum of fluctuations is in agreement with theoretical predictions. The influence on the observed spectra of arcing generated by high negative bias voltages applied to solar cell samples is briefly discussed.