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Parametric Experiments In Mitigating Spacecraft Charging Via Plasma Contactor
  • +2
  • Grant Miars,
  • Gian Luca Delzanno,
  • Brian Gilchrist,
  • Omar Leon,
  • Federico Lucco Castello
Grant Miars
University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Corresponding Author:gmiars@umich.edu

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Gian Luca Delzanno
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Brian Gilchrist
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
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Omar Leon
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
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Federico Lucco Castello
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Abstract

Spacecraft charge mitigation is critical for a host of space plasma measurement techniques. However, charge mitigation in tenuous space plasmas can be a difficult problem. It is especially difficult and essential during active experiments that feature ion or electron beams, as collection from the ambient plasma is often insufficient to balance the beam emission current. For electron emission experiments, the use of a plasma contactor that emits an ionized gas is the only practical option. A series of parametric chamber experiments were completed to address how spacecraft charge mitigation using a plasma contactor may scale in tenuous space plasmas. Experiments focus on how spacecraft potential scales with beam emission current, contactor current (the rate at which the contactor generates quasi-neutral plasma), and contactor expellant mass (ion mass). These experimental results are compared to scaling laws derived via Curvilinear Particle-In-Cell (CPIC) simulations for further validation and physical insights. Implications for improving space plasma measurements and enabling future active experiments such as the Connections Explorer (CONNEX) mission are discussed.