AMPTE-IRM
| Names | AMPTE-Ion Release Module |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Magnetosphere research |
| Operator | NASA / Germany |
| COSPAR ID | 1984-088B |
| SATCAT no. | 15200 |
| Mission duration | 2 years (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | AMPTE-IRM |
| Spacecraft type | Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers (AMPTE) |
| Bus | AMPTE-Ion Release Module |
| Manufacturer | Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics |
| Launch mass | 705 kg (1,554 lb) |
| Power | 60 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 16 August 1984, 14:48 LC-17A |
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Entered service | 16 August 1984 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 14 August 1986 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit[2] |
| Regime | Highly elliptical orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 1.09 RE |
| Apogee altitude | 18.83 RE |
| Inclination | 28.60° |
| Period | 44.30 hours |
| Instruments | |
| 3-D Plasma Analyzer Ion Release Experiment Mass Separation Ion Spectrometer (MSIS) Plasma Wave Spectrometer Suprathermal Energy Ionic Charge Analyzer Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer | |
Explorer program | |
AMPTE-IRM, also called as AMPTE-Ion Release Module, was a Germany satellite designed and tasked to study the
Mission
The AMPTE-IRM is one of the three components of the international space mission AMPTE, which also included AMPTE-CCE (Charge Composition Explorer), designed by NASA, and AMPTE-UKS (United Kingsom Subsatellite), provided by the United Kingdom.[3]
Spacecraft
The program consisted of three spacecraft: the AMPTE-CCE, which measured in the magnetosphere the ions released by the AMPTE-IRM; and the AMPTE-UKS, which used thrusters to keep station near the AMPTE-IRM to provide two-point local measurements. The AMPTE-IRM provided multiple ion releases in the solar wind, the magnetosheath, and the magnetotail, with in situ diagnostics of each. The AMPTE-IRM spacecraft was
Launch
AMPTE-IRM was launched with the two other satellites of the AMPTE program on 16 August 1984, at 16:48 UTC, from a Cape Canaveral launch pad by a Delta 3924 launch vehicle.[1][2]
Experiments
3-D Plasma Analyzer (30-channel, Electrons: 15 eV-30 keV; Ions: 20 eV/q-40 keV/q)
The main instrument consisted of two symmetrical quadrispherical electrostatic analyzers to measure the three-dimensional distributions of electrons and ions, respectively, over 4-pi-sr during every satellite spin period (4 seconds). The energy range covered was 15 eV/Q to 30 keV/Q in 30 channels. The angular resolution was 22.5°. Moments of the measured distributions were directly computed on board. An additional retarding-potential analyzer measured the flux of electrons between approximately 0 and 25 eV.[4]
Ion Release Experiment
The experiment consisted of eight lithium and eight barium canisters, which were injected from the AMPTE-IRM in pairs by ground command and ignited 10 minutes after separation from the spacecraft. Each of these was either totally lithium or totally barium. A pair of Li/Ba canisters produced a total of 2.E25/7.E24 Li/Ba atoms, respectively, which were subsequently ionized by solar radiation. Li releases in the solar wind, which were carried out in August/September 1984, were to be followed by an artificial comet release of Ba ions in the dawnside magnetosheath and a number of Ba and Li releases in the geomagnetic tail. In situ diagnostics by AMPTE-IRM and AMPTE-UKS and optical observations of the clouds from the ground were followed by tracing of the ions in the inner magnetosphere by AMPTE-CCE.[5]
Mass Separation Ion Spectrometer (MSIS) (H through Ba: 0.5 eV/q-14 keV/q)
The instrument consisted of a retarding-potential analyzer entrance section and a toroidal electrostatic energy-per-charge analyzer, followed by a quadrispherical electrostatic analyzer with superimposed radial magnetic field for mass-per-charge analysis. The energy range covered was approximately 0 to 12 (or 24) keV/Q, with adequate mass resolution to separate the Li and Ba tracer ions. Up to eight different ion species could be analyzed simultaneously.[6]
Plasma Wave Spectrometer (64 channel, E- and B-field, E-: 0.0-5.6 MHz; B-: 30 Hz-1.5 MHz)
The instrument used a 42 m (138 ft) tip-to-tip antenna to measure electric fields from DC to 5 MHz and two boom-mounted search coil magnetometers to measure magnetic fields from 30 Hz to 1 MHz. The signals were analyzed by a very low frequency VLF/MF 16-channel spectrum analyzer, three VLF narrow-band swept-frequency receivers, a 60-channel high frequency HF stepped-frequency receiver, and an analog wide-band receiver.[7]
Suprathermal Energy Ionic Charge Analyzer (H through Fe: 5-270 keV/q; electrons: 35-207 keV)
The main instrument consisted of a curved plate electrostatic energy-per-charge analyzer followed by a 12 cm (4.7 in) time-of-flight telescope with a thin carbon foil at the front and a solid-state detector at the rear, which measured ion velocity and residual energy. The energy-per-charge range was 10 to 300 keV/Q. The mass resolution, delta M/M, ranged from 0.25 to 0.12. The instrument package also contained an electron sensor for the energy range 35 to 220 keV, provided by University of California, Berkeley.[8]
Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer
The instrument was a three-axis fluxgate magnetometer mounted on a 2 m (6 ft 7 in) boom. It had two switchable ranges (± 4 microtesla, and ± 60 microtesla) with resolutions of 0.12 and 1.8 nT, respectively and was read out at 32, 16, 8, or 4 vector samples per second, depending on the T/M rate. Signals from each sensor were also fed into four band pass filters with 5.5, 11, 22, and 44-Hz center frequencies and were read out up to two times per second.[9]
End of mission
The spacecraft became inoperational on 14 August 1986.[3][2]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Trajectory: AMPTE-IRM (1984-088B)". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d "Display: AMPTE-IRM (1984-088B)". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: 3-D Plasma Analyzer". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: Ion Release Experiment". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: Mass Separation Ion Spectrometer (MSIS)". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: Plasma Wave Spectrometer". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: Suprathermal Energy Ionic Charge Analyzer". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Experiment: Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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