The ordered magnetic field of the magnetosheath
Magnetic field of magnetosheath and relation to interplanetary space using data from IMP SATELLITES
IMP↗
SEARCH · Search NASA
Results for “INTERPLANETARY SPACE”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Magnetic field measurements with the IMP 2 satellite.
IMP II satellite measurements of magnetic fields in interplanetary space by onboard monoaxial fluxgate magnetometers
BOW SHOCK↗
Preliminary analysis of space mission applications for electromagnetic launchers
The technical and economic feasibility of using electromagnetically launched EML payloads propelled from the Earth's surface to LEO, GEO, lunar orbit, or to interplanetary space was assessed. Analyses of the designs of rail accelerators and coaxial magnetic accelerators show that each is capable of launching to space payloads of 800 KG or more. A hybrid launcher in which EML is used for the first 2 KM/sec followed by chemical rocket stages was also tested. A cost estimates study shows that one to two EML launches per day are needed to break even, compared to a four-stage rocket. Development models are discussed for: (1) Earth orbital missions; (2) lunar base supply mission; (3) solar system escape mission; (4) Earth escape missions; (5) suborbital missions; (6) electromagnetic boost missions; and (7) space-based missions. Safety factors, environmental impacts, and EML systems analysis are discussed. Alternate systems examined include electrothermal thrustors, an EML rocket gun; an EML theta gun, and Soviet electromagnetic accelerators.
Miller, L. A.↗
Study of cosmic ray scintillations from 5-minute data of the scintillations telescope Izmran and world-wide network stations
During cosmic ray propagation in interplanetary space there appear characteristic cosmic-ray intensity scintillations which are due to charged particle scattering on random inhomogeneities of the interplanetary magnetic field. The power spectra of cosmic ray scintillations on the Earth during some intervals from 1977 to 1982 (for quiet periods, for solar flares and Forbush decreases due to power shock waves) have been calculated from five-minute, one and two-hour values of the cosmic-ray intensity measured by the scintillator supertelescope IZMIRAN. The spectra were estimated by the methods of spectral analysis and by autoregressive methods which mutually control each other and make it possible not only to analyze scintillation powers at distinguished frequencies, but also to determine the behavior of spectrum slopes in some frequency ranges.
Gulinsky, O. V.↗
Tutorial: Radiation Effects in Electronic Systems
This tutorial presentation will give an overview of radiation effects in electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE) components as it applies to civilian space systems of varying size and complexity. The natural space environment presents many unique threats to electronic systems regardless of where the systems operate from low-Earth orbit to interplanetary space. The presentation will cover several topics, including: an overview and introduction to the applicable space radiation environments common to a broad range of mission designs; definitions and impacts of effects due to impinging particles in the space environment e.g., total ionizing dose (TID), total non-ionizing dose (TNID), and single-event effects (SEE); and, testing for and evaluation of TID, TNID, and SEE in EEE components.
total non-ionizing dose (TNID)↗
Mars Opposition Piloted Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP)-Chem Vehicle
Many previous studies have examined sending crews to and from Mars. The most economical involved a ‘conjunction’ class whereby the crew spends around 500 days on Mars surface waiting for a ‘cheap’ return. The total mission time results in a mission duration around 3 years. Given the current demonstrated crew maximum of a 1 year stint on ISS, it is interesting to look at reducing that time to only two years, thus reducing risk and minimizing time in the Martian System. In order to meet such a short mission an ‘opposition’ class Mars mission (which includes a Venus flyby) was chosen. The energy required to perform such a mission in only two years (for the 2036 opportunity at least) is about three times that of the 3 year conjunction mission. The rocket equation clearly shows that this mission would then require several times the propellant of the three-year mission unless the Isp of the propulsion system can be increased. Electric propulsion can provide the 3-10x improvement in Isp but even with a nuclear reactor power levels could approach 10 MWe. As an alternative, a smaller reactor (1.5 MWe class) joined together with a chemical stage was found to allow for using each propulsion system to its best advantage: low thrust in interplanetary space and chemical in the gravity wells of Earth and Mars. Indeed, the use of high Isp, low thrust during the interplanetary leg of the journey’s reduced the required capture/departure ∆Vs by 5-10X. Lowering the NEP power also allowed fitting the power system into a single SLS launch – which limited the radiator area to ~ 2500m^2. For the first look a reactor using fuels created by the SP-100 program with a limit of ~1200K was assumed. Starting in the ‘Lunar Gateway’ also allowed for use of commercial tankers to fuel the vehicle in a relative benign place. A top level summary of the mission design, concept of operations, as well as a conceptual point design of the vehicle is described.
Nuclear Electric Propulsion↗
The History of EVA Safety at NASA
With NASA’s past and current involvement in Human Space Exploration in low Earth orbit and on the Moon, in lunar orbit and on the surface in the near future, and interplanetary space and the surface of Mars in the coming decades, the safety of the crew during Extravehicular Activity (EVA) remains paramount. EVAs during human space flight will challenge the crew and Mission Control for not only maintenance and reliability tasks but also exploration activities during a mission. Outside of launch and landing, EVA is the most dangerous crewed operation during a mission, making proper safety measures essential. This paper will explore how EVA safety operations havebeen managed throughout NASA’s history during the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, how it is currently being managed for the International Space Station Program, and how these methods are planned to be utilized for Exploration efforts for human space flight into the future. Understanding the theory and processes that led to the documented safety requirements in the past and present will give insight into how to manage Exploration operations in the future, and may lead to process improvement with the advancements of technology in work today.
EVA↗
Space Flight Middleware: Remote AMS over DTN for Delay-Tolerant Messaging
This paper describes a technique for implementing scalable, reliable, multi-source multipoint data distribution in space flight communications -- Delay-Tolerant Reliable Multicast (DTRM) -- that is fully supported by the "Remote AMS" (RAMS) protocol of the Asynchronous Message Service (AMS) proposed for standardization within the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS). The DTRM architecture enables applications to easily "publish" messages that will be reliably and efficiently delivered to an arbitrary number of "subscribing" applications residing anywhere in the space network, whether in the same subnet or in a subnet on a remote planet or vehicle separated by many light minutes of interplanetary space. The architecture comprises multiple levels of protocol, each included for a specific purpose and allocated specific responsibilities: "application AMS" traffic performs end-system data introduction and delivery subject to access control; underlying "remote AMS" directs this application traffic to populations of recipients at remote locations in a multicast distribution tree, enabling the architecture to scale up to large networks; further underlying Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) Bundle Protocol (BP) advances RAMS protocol data units through the distribution tree using delay-tolerant storeand- forward methods; and further underlying reliable "convergence-layer" protocols ensure successful data transfer over each segment of the end-to-end route. The result is scalable, reliable, delay-tolerant multi-source multicast that is largely self-configuring.
Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN)↗
Probabilities for the peak flux and fluence of energetic solar protons incident on interplanetary spacecraft
Energetic protons injected into interplanetary space in solar particle events can interfere with spacecraft operations and experiments and can cause permanent degradation of some components. For future long term interplanetary and planetary missions, techniques were developed which use solar particle event data from 1956 through 1970 to predict the probability of exceeding any value of peak proton intensity or mission proton fluence. Dependences on proton energy (near 10 to 100 MeV), heliocentric distance, and phase of the solar cycle are included. The techniques are described and applied to the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977 mission.
Divine, N.↗
Physics of solar cosmic rays
A review of the historical development of solar cosmic ray research is presented and details concerning the solar atmosphere, the interplanetary space, and solar activity are considered, giving attention to solar-atmosphere structure, problems of radiative transfer, questions of solar magnetism, solar wind, and interplanetary plasmas. Solar flares and associated phenomena are discussed along with the generation of solar cosmic ray events, the mechanism of solar flares, the acceleration process of solar cosmic rays, the propagation of solar cosmic rays, and relations between the flow of energetic protons and solar active regions. Questions regarding the origin theory of cosmic rays are also explored, taking into account the solar origin theory and problems of flare stars.
Sakurai, K.↗
CME Magnetic Structure and IMF Preconditioning Affecting SEP Transport
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar energetic particles (SEPs) are two manifestations of the various solar phenomena that are known to cause severe space weather effects throughout the heliosphere. The evolution of CMEs after eruption, especially in terms of their magnetic structure, and the configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) that influences the transport of SEPs are currently areas of active research. These two aspects are not necessarily independent of each other, especially during solar maximum when multiple eruptive events can occur close in time. Accordingly, we present in this work theanalysis of a CME that erupted from the Sun on 2012 May 11 (SOL2012-05-11) and an SEP event following an eruption that took place on 2012 May 17 (SOL2012-05-17),∼20◦in both latitude and longitude away from the May 11 CME source region. After observing in detailthe eruption and early evolution of the May 11 CME using remote-sensing data from three viewpoints, we evaluate its propagation through interplanetary space using several models.Then, we analyse in-situ measurements from five predicted impact locations (Venus, Earth, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Mars Science Laboratory en route to Mars, and Mars) in the inner heliosphere in order to search for CME signatures. We find that all five in-situlocations detect signatures of an impulsive SEP event, which we trace back to the May 17 eruption. These findings suggest that the May 11 CME, which was crossing the various locations around the time of the May 17 eruption, provided a direct magnetic connectivityfor the efficient transport of SEPs with an impulsive profile. We discuss the space weather implications of CME evolution, regarding in particular its magnetic structure, and CME-driven IMF preconditioning that facilitates SEP transport from a later event. Finally, this work remarks the importance of the availability of data from multiple spacecraft, even those that do not include space weather research as their primary objective.
Erika Palmerio↗
Current models of the intensely ionizing particle environment in space
The Cosmic Ray Effects on MicroElectronics (CREME) model that is currently in use to estimate single event effect rates in spacecraft is described. The CREME model provides a description of the radiation environment in interplanetary space near the orbit of the earth that contains no major deficiencies. The accuracy of the galactic cosmic ray model is limited by the uncertainties in solar modulation. The model for solar energetic particles could be improved by making use of all the data that has been collected on solar energetic particle events. There remain major uncertainties about the environment within the earth's magnetosphere, because of the uncertainties over the charge states of the heavy ions in the anomalous component and solar flares, and because of trapped heavy ions. The present CREME model is valid only at 1 AU, but it could be extended to other parts of the heliosphere. There is considerable data on the radiation environment from 0.2 to 35 AU in the ecliptic plane. This data could be used to extend the CREME model.
Adams, James H., Jr.↗
Skylab experiments. Volume 5: Astronomy and space physics
The astronomy and space physics investigations conducted in the Skylab program include over 20 experiments in four categories to explore space phenomena that cannot be observed from earth. The categories of space research are as follows: (1) phenomena within the solar system, such as the effect of solar energy on Earth's atmosphere, the composition of interplanetary space, the possibility of an inner planet, and the X-ray radiation from Jupiter, (2) analysis of energetic particles such as cosmic rays and neutrons in the near-earth space, (3) stellar and galactic astronomy, and (4) self-induced environment surrounding the Skylab spacecraft.
Source record↗
VHF Radio Response of the near Earth Space During Solar Activity Growth in October, 2003
The analysis of observations of very high frequency radio noise intensity at the middle latitude on a frequency f = 500 MHz from 14th till 26th of October, 2003 is presented. These data are compared with the solar radio bursts in the range of frequencies 1-14 MHz registered by RAD2 receiver of the WAVES device installed on board the WIND spacecraft. The sporadic enhancement of near Earth very high frequency radio noise were observed with the help of ground radio telescope preferably either in pre mid night hours or at daytime. In many cases between October 17 and 22 short-term increases of the fluxes of low energy electrons, protons and ions in the interplanetary space by hundreds of times, corresponded to VHF radio bursts. At the same time slow increasing of solar cosmic rays streams at Lagrange point L1 and on geostationary orbit during October, 21 and 22, did not affect the usual radio noise level. A strong solar flare of 1B/X5.5 class on October 23 contributed to a prolonged rise of the intensity level of spectral radio emission, including the night sector of magnetosphere. It is assumed that very high frequency radio bursts in the near Earth space may appear when the processes of penetration of interplanetary low energy charge particles into Earth plasmasphere take place.
Dudnik, O. V.↗
The earth's dust belt - Fact or fiction/ques/ I, II, III, IV.
Forces acting on small dust particles orbiting near earth and in interplanetary space and existence or nonexistence of terrestrial dust belt
INTERPLANETARY DUST↗
THE DISTRIBUTION OF INTERPLANETARY HYDROGEN
Calculation of atomic hydrogen distribution in interplanetary space based on solar wind measurements
SOLAR WIND↗
Temperature and flow velocity of the interplanetary gases along solar radii
The velocity distributions along solar radii for hydrogen and helium in interplanetary space are calculated by using the Danby-Camm formula modified with a loss function. From these distributions the radial temperature and radial flow velocity of the interplanetary gases are determined. The effects of solar gravitation and ionization loss, due to charge exchange and photoionization, on the gas temperature and velocity are described.
Wu, F. M.↗
Advanced solar space missions
The space missions in solar physics planned for the next decade are similar in that they will have, for the most part, distinct, unifying science objectives in contrast to the more general 'exploratory' nature of the Orbiting Solar Observatory and Skylab/ATM missions of the 1960's and 70's. In particular, the strategy for advanced solar physics space missions will focus on the quantitative understanding of the physical processes that create and control the flow of electromagnetic and particulate energy from the sun and through interplanetary space at all phases of the current sunspot cycle No. 21. Attention is given to the Solar Maximum Mission, the International Solar Polar Mission, solar physics on an early Shuttle mission, principal investigator class experiments for future spacelabs, the Solar Optical Telescope, the Space Science Platform, the Solar Cycle and Dynamics Mission, and an attempt to send a spacecraft to within 4 solar radii of the sun's surface.
Bohlin, J. D.↗