Space Environment and Spacecraft Effects

Space Environment and its Effects on Spacecrafts

• Spacecraft are affected by a variety of environmental factors
• Six major environmental factors affecting spacecraft are charged particles, atmosphere, micrometeoroids and debris, vacuum, gravity, and radiation
• Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards each other, affected by the mass and distance between objects
• Gravity's effect on spacecraft, in higher orbits, decreases, while Moon and Sun's gravity increase influencing the trajectory(path)
• For Earth-orbiting spacecraft, the Moon and Sun's gravity has minimal effect but not for interplanetary spacecraft.
• Spacecraft can adjust their speed and trajectory by utilizing the gravity of planets and satellites.
• Gravity determines a spacecraft's orbit's size and shape.
• Launch vehicles must overcome gravitational pull to deploy spacecraft into space
• A spacecraft in orbit requires propellant for movements between orbits or linking up with other spacecraft.

Atmosphere

• Atmosphere is a mixture of gases around a celestial body with strong gravitational fields preventing escape
• Atmospheric effects include creating pressure, absorbing and scattering light, creating wind, weather, and climate, interacting with solar wind creating magnetosphere, and warming planetary surfaces.
• Earth's atmosphere protects it from radiation and cosmic rays
• Atmosphere's composition is primarily Nitrogen (78.084%) and Oxygen (20.946%)
• Atmospheric layers include troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere
• The troposphere, closest to Earth, contains 75% of air and water vapor (clouds).
• The stratosphere contains an ozone layer that absorbs UV radiation
• The mesosphere is where most meteors burn up
• The thermosphere's extreme temperatures
• The exosphere is the outermost layer
• Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude due to lower density and temperature

Space Vacuum - Plasma of outer space

• Outer space is a vacuum, with low density and pressure, composed of hydrogen atoms.

• Plasma is the fourth state of matter: solid, liquid, gas, plasma.

• Plasma consists of charged particles (electrons and ions) that can move independently.

• Plasma is strongly affected by electric and magnetic fields, leading to complex behaviors.

• Outgassing, cold welding, and heat transfer are potential problems for spacecraft.

• Outgassing is the release of trapped gases in a vacuum. The gas can coat sensitive parts, such as lenses, and cause electrical components to short-circuit. Outgassing can be dangerous.

• Cold welding is the fusion of metal parts in the vacuum of space when minimal space separates them.

• Heat transfer occurs through conduction, convection, and radiation.

Radiation

• Radiation is energy emitted as rays, electromagnetic waves, or particles.
• Radiation types include visible light, infrared, X-rays, and gamma rays.
• Radiation can negatively affect biological and mechanical systems.
• Space radiation includes atoms stripped of electrons due to high speeds which travel close to light speed
• Effects of ionizing radiation include noise, errors in chips, and computer crashes, causing damage and deterioration of spacecraft components.
• Radiation hardened electronic components are solutions for damage and deterioration
• Spacecraft designers need radiation shielding materials.
• There are various types of radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, trapped radiation, solar energetic particles, and non-ionizing radiation such as ultraviolet waves.

Charged Particles

• Massive amounts of solar charged particles erupt from the Sun.
• Solar charged particles include: protons and electrons
• The charged particles react to electric and magnetic fields.
• The Sun has a powerful magnetic field that forces charged particles away from the sun at 300–700 km/s, which are called solar wind.
• Earth's magnetic field (or magnetosphere) shields Earth from the solar wind.
• Charged particles can enter the atmosphere at the magnetic poles, causing the aurora.

Micrometeoroids and Debris

• Spacecraft in Earth orbit encounter space debris and micrometeoroids.
• Space debris includes manmade items and micrometeoroids that orbit Earth.
• Collisions with debris or meteoroids pose a hazard to spacecraft, potentially penetrating shielding and damaging internal equipment.
• Designers must consider the risk of particle impacts when planning space missions.

Explore how various environmental factors influence spacecraft in this quiz. From gravity to micrometeoroids, learn about the key elements that affect spacecraft design and operation. Test your knowledge about how these factors impact trajectories and orbits.