Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Kyushu Institute of Technology
出版者
宇宙航空研究開発機構宇宙科学研究本部
出版者(英)
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA/ISAS)
雑誌名
第24回宇宙エネルギーシンポジウム 平成16年度
雑誌名(英)
The Twenty-fourth Space Energy Symposium March 7, 2005
ページ
87 - 91
発行年
2005-06
抄録(英)
In the Low Earth Orbit, cracks are often made at the power cable of a satellite by debris, heat cycle, etc. Triple junctions are formed from these cracks. Then arcs may occur. On a satellite, the cables of HOT and RTN are placed close to each other in many cases. Therefore, sustained arc may occur if arc tracking is formed. If sustained arc takes place, the cable is carbonized and burned out. At the worst case, it will spread to neighboring cables. If it becomes so, the satellite may lose power from the solar panel. The purpose of this study is to investigate the conditions by which self-sustained electrical discharge is generated on cables. An experiment was carried out in a vacuum chamber which simulated Low Earth Orbit environment. A substrate made of CFRP (Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastics) was used. The experiment was carried out by placing the cables with cracks on the CFRP surface or on Kapton facesheet over the CFRP. Sustained arcs were observed in both environments. In the test of simulating front surface, sustained arc occurred when the condition of the string voltage was 200 V and the current of line was 2.7 A. In the test of simulating back surface, because the CFRP substrate was exposed, trigger arcs occurred frequently. The arc plasma led to the sustained arc between the cable and the substrate.