Physics
Scientific paper
Apr 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987p%26ss...35..501g&link_type=abstract
Planetary and Space Science (ISSN 0032-0633), vol. 35, April 1987, p. 501-513.
Physics
35
Ion Concentration, Ionospheric Ion Density, Space Plasmas, Spacelab Payloads, Thermal Plasmas, Mass Spectroscopy, Molecular Ions, Remote Manipulator System, Space Shuttle Mission 51-F
Scientific paper
Thermal ion characteristics in the vicinity of the Space Shuttle, derived from RF spectrometer measurements of the Plasma Diagnostic Package (PDP) flown aboard Spacelab 2, are discussed. During the Reaction Control System firings, short pulses of enhanced ion fluxes of NO(+), O2(+), and H2O(+) were detected in the near wake within and in near proximity to the open payload. During the release of the PDP as a free flying satellite, the spin modulation of the ion fluxes in the ion spectrometer indicated the presence of plasma streams of O(+) and H2O(+) which were separated in direction by as much as 77 deg. It is concluded that the presence of contaminant NO and O2(+) ions makes the near environment of the Shuttle an unsuitable place for obtaining accurate ambient ion concentration measurements.
Grebowsky Joseph M.
Pharo W. III M.
Reese N.
Taylor Harry A. Jr.
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