Modeling Differential Charging of Composite Spacecraft Bodies Using the Coliseum Framework

dc.contributor.authorBarrie, Alexanderen
dc.contributor.committeechairWang, Joseph J.en
dc.contributor.committeememberScales, Wayne A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKapania, Rakesh K.en
dc.contributor.departmentAerospace and Ocean Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:44:07Zen
dc.date.adate2006-10-10en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:44:07Zen
dc.date.issued2006-08-14en
dc.date.rdate2006-10-10en
dc.date.sdate2006-08-24en
dc.description.abstractThe COLISEUM framework is a tool designed for electric propulsion plume interactions. Virginia Tech has been developing a module for COLISEUM called DRACO, a particle-in-cell based code capable of plume modeling for geometrically complex spacecraft. This work integrates a charging module into DRACO. Charge is collected via particle impingement on the spacecraft surface and converted to potential. Charge can be stored in the surface, or added to a local ground potential. Current can flow through the surface and is governed by the internal electric field in the spacecraft. Several test cases were run to demonstrate the code's capabilities. The first was a plume impingement of a composite spherical probe by a xenon thruster. It was shown that the majority of current conducted will reach the interior of the spacecraft, not other surface elements. A conductive interior will therefore result in a uniform surface potential, even for low surface conductivities. A second test case showed a composite spacecraft exposed to a solar wind. This test showed that when a potential gradient is applied to a conductive body, the ground potential of the spacecraft will lower significantly to compensate and maintain a zero net current. The case that used the semiconductive material showed that the effect of the potential gradient can be lowered in cases such as this, where some charge will always be stuck in the surface. If a dielectric material is used, the gradient will disappear altogether. The final test case showed the effect of charge exchange ion backflow on the potential of a spacecraft similar to the DAWN spacecraft. This case showed that CEX ion distribution is not even along the spacecraft and will result in a transverse potential gradient along the panel.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-08242006-184416en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08242006-184416/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/34743en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartthesis.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectparticle in cellen
dc.subjectelectric propulsion plumeen
dc.subjectspacecraft chargingen
dc.titleModeling Differential Charging of Composite Spacecraft Bodies Using the Coliseum Frameworken
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineAerospace and Ocean Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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