Page 110 - Intro to Space Sciences Spacecraft Applications
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Spacecraft Environment
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Figure 4-1 1. Radiation belts. Energetic particles are trapped within the
earth’s magnetic field.
South Atlantic Anomaly. The off-set geometry of the geomagnetic field,
shown in Figure 4-8, produces an asymmetry in the radiation belts which
results in an area where the belts are closer to the earth’s surface. This area
occurs just off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean and is known as
the South Atlantic Anomaly. Spacecraft passing over this area experience
a significantly increased radiation dosage sufficient to cause concern
when operating in this region.
SPACECRAFT EFFECTS
The space systems engineer must not only be familiar with the envi-
ronment in which a system is to operate, but must also determine how that
environment is going to affect the spacecraft physically and operational-
ly. The following sections introduce some of the major concerns. In most
cases, a spacecraft must have systems or operational methods to deal with
these effects.
Thermal Control
Spacecraft in orbit receive thermal inputs from many sources including
direct exposure to solar radiation, infrared emissions from the earth, and
