Particle trajectories and clearing times after mechanical door openings on the MSX satellite

B. David Green; Gary E. Galica; Phillip A. Mulhall; James S. Dyer; O. Manuel Uy

doi:10.1117/12.258310

11 November 1996 Particle trajectories and clearing times after mechanical door openings on the MSX satellite

B. David Green, Gary E. Galica, Phillip A. Mulhall, James S. Dyer, O. Manuel Uy

Proceedings Volume 2864, Optical System Contamination V, and Stray Light and System Optimization; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.258310
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

Particles generated from spacecraft surfaces will interfere with the remote sensing of emissions from objects in space, the earth, and its upper atmosphere. We have previously reviewed the sources, sizes, and composition of particles observed in local spacecraft environments and presented predictions of the optical signatures these particles would generate and presented predictions of the signatures of these nearfield particles as detected by spacecraft optical systems. Particles leaving spacecraft surfaces will be accelerated by atmospheric drag (and magnetic forces if charged). Velocities and accelerations relative to the spacecraft x,y,z, coordinate system allow the particle to move through the optical sensors' field-of-view after they leave the spacecraft surfaces. The particle's trajectory during the optical system integration time gives rise to a particle track in the detected image. Particles can be remotely detected across the UV-IR spectral region by their thermal emission, scattered sunlight, and earthshine. The spectral-bandpass-integrated signatures of these particles (dependent upon size and composition) is then mapped back onto the UV, visible, and IR sensor systems. At distances less than kilometers, these particles are out of focus for telescoped imaging systems. The image produced is blurred over several pixels. We present here data on the optical signatures observed after the mechanical doors covering the MSX primary optical sensors are removed. This data represents the first observations by these sensors on-orbit, and must be treated as preliminary until a more careful review and calibration is completed. Within these constraints, we have analyzed the data to derive preliminarily positions and trajectories.

Citation Download Citation

B. David Green, Gary E. Galica, Phillip A. Mulhall, James S. Dyer, and O. Manuel Uy "Particle trajectories and clearing times after mechanical door openings on the MSX satellite", Proc. SPIE 2864, Optical System Contamination V, and Stray Light and System Optimization, (11 November 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.258310

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