Measurement of the Spatial Distribution of Surface Potentials on Orbiting Spacecraft

Abstract

U n t i l 1970 the accumulation o f e l e c t r o s t a t i c char ­ ges a t th e su r f a c e o f s p a c e c r a f t in g e o s t a t i o n a r y o r b i t was not co n s id e r ed s i g n i f i c a n t . The e l e c t r i c a l conduc­ t i v i t y a t t h e su r f a c e o f thermal i n s u l a t i n g b la n k e ts i s o f t e n very low. T h e ir m e t a l i z e d l a y e r s were o f t e n l e f t f l o a t i n g , app arent ly w i th o u t regard t o EMC a rcing pro­