Notetaker: Space Weather and Hazards

Question 1

What storm is caused by solar flares?

Answer 1

Radio Blackouts

Question 2

What storm is caused by solar energetic particles (SEPs)?

Answer 2

Solar Radiation Storms

Question 3

What storm are major disturbances of earth’s magnetosphere that can upset technological systems?

Answer 3

Geomagnetic Storms

Question 4

What storm arrives in ~8 minutes (speed of light)?

Answer 4

Radio Blackouts

Question 5

What storm impacts airline comms, HF radio operators, DoD comms, and satellite comms?

Answer 5

Radio Blackouts

Question 6

What storm arrives in 15 minutes to 24 hours?

Answer 6

Solar Radiation Storms

Question 7

What storm impacts airline comms, HF radio operators, DoD comms, astronauts, and satellite electronic failures?

Answer 7

Solar Radiation Storms

Question 8

What storm is caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and arrive in 3 to 4 days?

Answer 8

Geomagnetic Storms

Question 8

What impacts components damaged by high current, high energy particles penetrate the satellite, HF (high frequency) radio interference, satellite navigation, slowing satellites, and creates auroras?

Answer 8

Geomagnetic Storms

Question 9

What occurs when plastics/composites release trapped gasses (volatiles)?

Answer 9

Outgassing

Question 10

How do you mitigate outgassing?

Answer 10

“Baking in a vacuum”

Question 11

What can occur when there is no atmosphere to act as a lubricant between mechanical parts?

Answer 11

Cold Welding

Question 12

How do you mitigate cold welding?

Answer 12

Design =
* Minimized moving parts
* Select lubricants that will not outgas/evaporate
* Use spacecraft rotation to evenly dissipate heat

Question 13

What environmental hazard occurs when conduction, convection, or radiation happens?

Answer 13

Heat Transfer

Question 14

How do you mitigate heat transfer?

Answer 14

• Radiation = only transfer method to dissipate heat away from the spacecraft
• Manage temps using conduction & convection
• Structures = composites act as a heat sink

Question 15

What results when charges build up on different parts of a spacecraft as it moves through concentrated areas of charged particles?

Answer 15

Spacecraft Charging

Question 16

What occurs when particles contact spacecraft at high speeds?

Answer 16

Sputtering

Question 17

What occurs when a charged particle makes a deep penetration of the spacecraft?

Answer 17

Single Event Upset

Question 18

What is long-term damage to the crystal structure of semiconductors within a spacecraft’s computer cause by electrons in the solar wind and the Van Allen belts?

Answer 18

Total Ionizing Dose Effect

Question 19

These mitigations are for what?
* Hardening/shielding of critical components from radiation
* Warning of environmental conditions allow operators to take evasive action such as launch delays
* Command rescheduling, and even reorientation of the spacecraft

Answer 19

Spacecraft Charging

Question 20

What occurs when space objects collide with atmospheric molecules, causing a transfer in kinetic energy?

Answer 20

Atmospheric Drag

Question 21

What environmental hazard remains a concern out to 400 miles?

Answer 21

Atmospheric Drag

Question 22

How do you mitigate atmospheric drag?

Answer 22

Orbital Maneuvers