UZB 411E - Space Environment

Course Objectives

To introduce space regions and space phenomena from the Sun to 100 km in Earth’s atmosphere, and the variability in the space environment,
2.To study the effects of the space environment on the spacecraft, spacecraft operations and spacecraft instruments on board and the ground systems.
3. To study the effects of the variability in the space environment on the technological systems on Earth.

Course Description

In this class, space regions where spacecraft move are studied using satellite observations, simple available models and theory. In addition to Sun, solar activity (solar flares, CMEs, sunspots etc.), solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), electromagnetic radiations, these include Earth’s magnetic field, magnetosphere, magnetotail, magnetopause, bow shock. Each region’s formation and characteristics are examined. Magnetic reconnection, magnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms, aurorae, radiation belts, south Atlantic anomaly (SAO) are studied. Effects of the space environment on spacecraft and ground systems were examined, such as spacecraft charging, oxygen erosion, atmospheric drag, SEO events, geomagnetically induced currents, effects on communication and navigation are studied. Simple models for the environment are introduced and spacecraft observations in different regions are analyzed.