Current Collection and Ambient Plasma Measurement during Electron Beam Emission at Near Geosynchronous Altitudes

Approved for public release; Distribution unlimited This paper discusses spacecraft interactions during electron beam emissions from a spacecraft rotating in sunlight. We present an improved Langmuir probe equation for the current collection by the SCATHA satellite. The equation yields results on ambient plasma density and temperature. The results compare favorable with the very few measurements obtained by other methods on the elusive ambient plasma at near geosynchronous altitudes. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGE