Abstract
Provided here is an overview of Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission design. The driving mission and science requirements are presented, and the unique engineering challenges of operating in Earth’s radiation belts are discussed in detail. The implementation of both the space and ground segments are presented, including a discussion of the challenges inherent with operating multiple observatories concurrently and working with a distributed network of science operation centers. An overview of the launch vehicle and the overall mission design will be presented, and the plan for space weather data broadcast will be introduced.
Highlights
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Mission is part of NASA’s Living With a Star program and is being implemented by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD
The orbits are required to have an apogee altitude between 30,050 km and 31,250 km, a perigee altitude between 500 km and 675 km, and an orbital inclination of 10◦ ± 0.25◦. These constraints place the observatories in orbits that cut through both the inner and outer radiation belts, and which sweep through all local Solar times as the orbit precesses over time
In the Guidance & Control (G&C) Component within the Mission Operations Center (MOC), the attitude data products are based on the sun sensor data and the Magnetometer data transmitted from the RBSP observatories
Summary
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Mission is part of NASA’s Living With a Star program and is being implemented by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD. The fundamental purpose of the mission is to provide a better understanding of the processes that drive changes within the Earth’s radiation belts. The Science Objectives and rationale for the mission are provided by Mauk et al (this issue), and details of the spacecraft design are provided by Kirby et al (2012, this issue). In the sections that follow we describe the mission requirements, describe mission design, summarize the observatory configuration, describe the mission operations and facilities, and describe the unique challenges that had to be overcome to implement this unique mission
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
