Ionospheric plasma diagnostic complex (DPK)

Function

Diagnostics of ambient space of ISS in a part of low-energy (< 10 eV) charged particles, measurement of the spacecraft potential, global monitoring and detailed analysis of ionospheric plasma.

Description

The plasma measurements are made by in-situ probe methods with a single block consisting of 10 sensors – modified Langmuir probes, Faraday cups-retarding potential analyzers, driftmeter.

The instrument consists of electronic unit DPK-BE and sensor unit DPK-BD. The instrument prototype was successfully used for thermal plasma measurements on Activnyi and Apeks (IK-24, IK-25) satellites. The instrument DPK is under development now by request of RKK Energiya for the Russian segment of ISS.

Main characteristics

Energy range                                                            £ 30 eV

Concentration Ne                                        102–5×106 cm–3

Concentration Ne                                        102–5×106 cm–3

Electron temperature Te                           300–100 000 Ê

Ion temperature Ti                                       300–10 000 Ê

Te anisotropy                                                            0.1–10

Ion mass Mi                                           2-3 main masses

Spacecraft potential                                          –30–+10 V

Plasma drift: angle of arrival/velocity
(horiz. and vert.)                                      ±45
°/±8 km/s

Ni flux fluctuations                                          0.5–1000 Hz

Thermal and suprathermal ion flux

(2 directions)                                            ≥ 107 cm–2s–1

Total mass                                                                  3.2 kg

Total power consumption                                         2.8 W

Dimensions DPK-BE                           90×136×215 mm

Dimensions DPK-BD                         104×164×164 mm

 




IPXP-block of sensors (prototype of DPK-BD) wass used in Activnyi and APEKS projects


Contacts

V.V. Afonin +7(495)333-10-23, vafonin@iki.rssi.ru
S.A. Aust +7(945)333-11-88, aust@iki.rssi.ru