Onboard mass-spectrometric equipment for study of neutral and ionized components of Earth upper atmosphere.

Mass-spectrometer P-11 is one of P-series modifications of the on board radio-frequency monopole spectrometers. Device is adjusted to work in the condition of open space. It is supplied with system of in-flight calibration, measurement of manometric pressure and temperature, as well as the system of preliminary processing of MS information. Spectrometer is enabled to measure the content of He,H,O₂,N₂,Ar in upper atmosphere as well as to develop some nonstandard measurement technique.

Realization of combined experiments, aimed on the study of fundamental processes in Earth upper atmosphere during high Solar activity, and on revealing of possible portents of natural disasters, including earthquakes of large magnitudes.

The devices consist of a single box including sensor and data processingunit.

It might be established aboard of a special multifunctional spacecraft “Warning”, as well as aboard of separate small satellite launched at the same time.

The analytic characteristics of MS P-11 are comparable to those of best MS’s, designed abroad like: Magnetic MS of Goddard Center of Space Flight (USA), which has been in stalled aboard of Dynamics Explorer satellite; quadruple MS of Michigan University aboard of OGO-4 satellite; quadruple MS (UACS) aboard of satellite, launched in a framework of Ministry of Defense space program (USA); MS designed by Institute of Physics of Bonn University (Germany) and used aboard of “Black Brent-3” rocket and others.

The instruments of P-series have passed successful approbation in space experiments aboard geophysical rockets MP-12, launched for investigation of Earth upper atmosphere (Ref. 1), Automatic Space Stations “VENERA-9” and “VENERA-10” (Ref. 2), Space satellites “COSMOS-1643” and “COSMOS-2007” (Ref. 3.4)

Characteristics of device, units of measurement type, value

1. Mode of operation - ionized, neutral media;

1. Measured mass number range, AMU - 1...50;
2. Resolution at 10% mass peak high (with respect to Ar 40), not less, then 1;
3. Range of measured pressure, mm of Hg - 8*10E-5...5*10E-12
4. Limiting sensitivity with respect to neutral component in mm of mercury, not less then 0E-12
5. Energy of registered charged particles, eV - 0...300;
6. Scanning time for the full mass specter, s - 2
7. Scanning time for consequent analysis of separate components (6 components on arbitrary choice), s - not more, the 1
8. Power supplies, d.e. source, V - 27(+7...-3);
9. Power consumption, W, not more, then - 20
10. Overall dimension, mm 160 x 290;
11. Mass, kg, not more then 8

The static calibration of MS P-11 is planned to execute with the help of standard calibration equipment.

The dynamic tests and calibration is intended to carry out in supersonic (SVAI) at the Institute of Technical Mechanics of Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences ITM (which is also subordinate of Ukrainian National Space Agency NSA). This installation has a system of cryogenic pumping.

The processing of aboard tests results is planned to execute with the use of a MASSTRANSFER module, which is a part of a Block of Applied Programs VISOTA-2, developed by ITM and NSA and recommended as a standard software to “Manual for designers on Aerodynamics and Heat Transferee of Spacecraft and Rockets in upper Earth atmosphere”.