Spacecraft Interaction with Atmospheric Species in Low Earth Orbit

Spacecraft interaction with ambient atmospheric species (O, NI, O, and electrons) in low Earth orbit involves collisions at high energies, giving rise to such complex phenomena as the shuttle glow, plume-atmosphere interactions, and plasma modifications. A survey of these and other effects is presented, and conclusions are drawn about possible ambiguities in interpretation of present data. For example, a suggestion is made that ions may play a role in the Shuttle glow phenomenon. Lack of data on the accommodation (in terms of energy and in terms of adsorption and subsequent reactions) of atmospheric species, such as O and NI, on amorphous surfaces at hyperthermal energies is a distinct handicap in the development of appropriate numerical codes for predicting the effects of spacecraft interactions.

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