Development of an ESD detection and Characterization facility for space like LEO and GEO environment

In space community there is an ongoing trend to develop multifunctional satellites. In order to achieve this goal development of higher satellite bus voltage is indispensable. However it has been observed that the number of solar array failures due to spacecraft charging has increased as satellite bus voltage becomes higher. This failure may even halt satellite operation entirely. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the technology to mitigate electric discharges on priority basis. ESD/arcing prediction by simulations is being still a technical challenge. Hence it is important to characterize the solar panel discharge and evaluate its detrimental effect by laboratory test. After recognizing the need for development of the facility for performing ESD tests on solar panel coupons, a collaborative project was proposed by the experts of ISRO and IPR. To reproduce and investigate ESD conditions and propagation it is essential to develop an experimental simulation facility in which LEO and GEO like conditions can be created in the laboratories. Lessons learnt from such ground tests can be helpful for the improved design. ISO document [ISO 11221] specifies the qualification and characterization test methods to simulate plasma interaction and electrostatic discharges on solar array panels in the space. This paper describes the development of an indigenously developed ESD detection, measurement and characterization facility for the solar coupons immersed in LEO and GEO like space environments. We demonstrate the ability to precisely capture the ESD events by a LabVIEW based automated test facility. The results analysis obtained during the initial experimental campaign conducted in the frame of the SPIX-II project “Spacecraft Plasma interaction experiments” are also presented.