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Communications Blackout Prediction for Atmospheric Entry of Mars Science LaboratoryWhen a supersonic spacecraft enters a planetary atmosphere with v >> v(sub sound), a shock layer forms in the front of the body. An ionized sheath of plasma develops around the spacecraft, which results from the ionization of the atmospheric constituents as they are compressed and heated by the shock or heated within the boundary layer next to the surface. When the electron density surrounding the spacecraft becomes sufficiently high, communications can be disrupted (attenuation/blackout). During Mars Science Laboratory's (MSL's) atmospheric entry there will likely be a communication outage due to charged particles on the order of 60 to 100 seconds using a UHF link frequency looking out the shoulders of the wake region to orbiting relay asset. A UHF link looking out the base region would experience a shorter duration blackout, about 35 seconds for the stressed trajectory and possibly no blackout for the nominal trajectory. There is very little likelihood of a communications outage using X-band (however, X-band is not currently planned to be used during peak electron density phase of EDL).
Document ID
20060050244
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Morabito, David
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Edquist, Karl
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
March 7, 2005
Subject Category
Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command And Tracking
Report/Patent Number
Paper-1163
Meeting Information
Meeting: IEEE Aerospace Conference
Location: Big Sky, Montana
Country: United States
Start Date: March 5, 2005
End Date: March 12, 2005
Sponsors: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
entry descent landing
planetary atmosphere
plasma
communications

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