CRRES

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  • CRRES
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  • The Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) Program is comprised of several elements. One is the release of powdered and liquid chemicals during the first 45 to 60 days after launch, when the spacecraft is in its 300-km altitude circular orbit. These releases are used to study electric fields, neutral winds, and other phenomena in the upper atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the magnetosphere. The spacecraft spins at 20 rpm during the low altitude orbit phase of the program. After the chemical releases are completed, the satellite is boosted into a geosynchronous-transfer-type orbit and spun down to 2 rpm. The orbit parameters of this final orbit are as follows: apogee altitude - 35,800 km, perigee altitude - 400 km, period - 630 min, inclination - about 16 deg. As the satellite traverses the inner magnetosphere, a full complement of field, particle, and plasma instruments measures the radiation environment. A comprehensive set of state-of-the-art microelectronics devices and other spacecraft components are tested in orbit for radiation effects. A major segment of the CRRES payload is part of AFGL's Space Radiation Effects Program (SPACERAD). The SPACERAD Program is a comprehensive space and ground test effort to (a) measure radiation-induced single event upsets and total dose degradation of state-of-the-art microelectronics devices, including VHSIC and GaAs, in a known space environment; (b) perform laboratory radiation response and annealing characterization of parts identical to those flown on CRRES; (c) develop algorithms to relate space performance of microelectronic components to ground test procedures, and update existing radiation ground test guidelines to more accurately simulate the behavior of devices in space; (d) space qualify advanced technology devices for use in operational systems; (e) update the static models of the radiation belts; and (f) develop the first dynamic models of the high-energy particle populations. The on-orbit phase of SPACERAD lasts for about 3 years. In addition, there are other radiation belt experiments on CRRES provided by the Navy. The CRRES spacecraft has the shape of an octagonal prism with solar arrays on the top side. The prism is 1 m high and 3 m between opposite faces. Four of the eight compartments are for the chemical canisters and the other four house the SPACERAD and other experiments. The spin axis of CRRES is controlled so that it points at the sun. Spacecraft Orbit Information Launch Date and Time 07/25/90 Orbit Type Elliptical Anomalistic Period 591.9 Min Apogee(km) 33612. Perigee(km) 335. Inclination 18.2 Group: Platform_Details Entry_ID: CRRES Group: Platform_Identification Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites Short_Name: CRRES Long_Name: Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite End_Group Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names Short_Name: CRRES End_Group Group: Orbit Orbit_Inclination: 18.2 Period: 591.9 min Perigee: 335 km Apogee: 33612 km Orbit_Type: HEO > Highly Elliptical Orbit End_Group Creation_Date: 2007-11-19 Online_Resource: http://www.spenvis.oma.be/spenvis/help/models/databases/crres.html Online_Resource: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1990-065A Sample_Image: http://library01.gsfc.nasa.gov/gdprojs/images/crres.jpg Group: Platform_Logistics Launch_Date: 1990-07-25 Launch_Site: Cape Canaveral/Kennedy Space Center, USA Primary_Sponsor: USA/NASA End_Group End_Group
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  • Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite
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Abstract from DBPedia
    The Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) was launched on July 25, 1990, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) for a nominal three-year mission to investigate fields, plasmas, and energetic particles inside the Earth's magnetosphere. As part of the CRRES program, the SPACERAD (Space Radiation Effects) project, managed by Air Force Geophysics Laboratory, investigated the radiation environment of the inner and outer radiation belts and measured radiation effects on state-of-the-art microelectronics devices. CRRES carried an array experiments including chemical releases and a complement of sophisticated scientific instruments to accomplish these objectives. Other chemical release active experiments were performed with sub-orbital rocket probes. The chemical releases 'painted' the magnetic and electric fields of earthspace with clouds of glowing ions. Earthspace was the laboratory, and the releases were studied with an extensive network of ground-, aircraft-, and satellite-based diagnostic instruments. Other magnetospheric, ionospheric, and cosmic ray experiments were also included onboard CRRES and supported by NASA or the Office of Naval Research. The chemical release project was managed by NASA/MSFC and utilized the release of chemicals from onboard canisters at low altitudes near dawn and dusk perigee times and at high altitudes near local midnight. The chemical releases were monitored with optical and radar instrumentation by ground-based observers to measure the bulk properties and movement of the expanding clouds of photo-ionized plasma along field lines after the releases occurred. In order to study the magnetosphere at different local times during the mission, the satellite orbit was designed to precess with respect to the Earth-Sun line such that the local time at apogee decreased by 2.5 minutes/day from 08:00 (LT) just after launch and returned to this position in nineteen month cycles. The CRRES spacecraft had the shape of an octagonal prism with solar arrays on the top side. The prism is 1 m high and 3 m between opposite faces. Four of the eight compartments were for the chemical canisters and the other four housed the Space Radiation Effects and other experiments. The spacecraft body was spun at 2.2 rpm about a spin axis in the ecliptic plane and kept pointed about 12 degrees ahead of the Sun's apparent motion in celestial coordinates. The spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace and was originally intended for launch by the U.S. Space Shuttle. The Challenger accident in 1986 resulted in a need to reconfigure the spacecarft and mission for launch by a medium expendable launch vehicle (Atlas I). Pre-launch and in-flight operations were supported by the Space Test and Transportation Program Office of the U.S. Air Force Space Division. Communications with CRRES abruptly stopped on October 12, 1991. Analysis presumed that an onboard battery failure resulted in loss of power to various systems resulting in a premature end to the mission about one year after launch instead of the original three-year plan.

    (Source: http://dbpedia.org/resource/CRRES)