SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY 5 SPACECRAFT LEVEL TESTING UTILIZING THE RENOVATED GODDARD MAGNETIC TEST FACILITY

摘要

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility (SMTF) was constructed in 1964 for the purpose of precisely canceling the Earth's geomagnetic field. By utilizing the facility's unique 42-foot diameter tri-axial Braunbek-Helmholtz coil system, as well as its remote sensing geomagnetic magnetometer and servo controller, the SMTF can null the Earth's magnetic field while simultaneously simulating orbiting geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic field environments. For this reason new NASA missions including Living with a Star and the New Millennium Program have extensively utilized the SMTF for precise, high-resolution magnetometer calibration and magnetosphereic cleanliness testing that is critical for fulfilling their complex scientific objectives. This paper describes a brief history of the SMTF and its current state of restoration. Particular attention is given to the resent magnetic cleanliness characterizations and magnetometer calibrations involving NASA's Science Technology 5 (ST5) mission. Launched in March of 2006, the ST5 mission consists of three miniature satellites (or micro-sats) that map the harsh inner magnetosphere of the Earth. Data obtained from the ST5 constellation provided scientists with a better understanding of solar activity that will hopefully improve the accuracy of space weather forecasting.