SOLAR, ANOMALOUS AND MAGNETOSPHERIC PARTICLE EXPLORER SAMPEX PRESS KIT JUNE 1992 CONTENTS PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 1 GENERAL RELEASE 2 SCIENCE OBJECTIVES 3 SAMPEX INSTRUMENTS 3 SCHEMATIC OF SPACECRAFT 5 LAUNCH OPERATIONS 6 LAUNCH VEHICLE AND LAUNCH PREPARATIONS 7 MISSION TIMELINE 8 LAUNCH VEHICLE 9 SCIENCE OPERATIONS 10 SMALL EXPLORER DATA SYSTEM 10 GROUND SEGMENT OPERATIONS 10 COOPERATIVE SATELLITE LEARNING PROJECT 11 SPACECRAFT SPECIFICS 12 PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES 12 CO-INVESTIGATORS 13 MISSION MANAGEMENT 13 i PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS Paula Cleggett-Haleim Office of Space Science and Applications NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. (Phone: 202/453-1547) Don Savage NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. (Phone: 202/453-8400) Dolores Beasley Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (Phone: 301/286-2806) Lisa Malone/Dick Young Kennedy Space Center, Fla. (Phone: 407/867-2468) Jan Cooksey, KSC/VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (Phone: 805/734-8232, ext. 53820) Lt. Col. Tom Worsdale Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. 30 SPW/PA (Phone: 805/734-8232, ext. 63595) 1 Release: 92-88 SAMPEX MISSION TO STUDY ENERGETIC PARTICLES FROM SPACE NASA's Solar, Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) satellite, an international collaboration with Germany, will contribute new information on the composition of energetic particles arriving at Earth from the solar atmosphere and interstellar space. The satellite is scheduled for launch on a four-stage, Scout expendable launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on June 19, 1992. The launch window extends from 10:22 a.m. to 10:41 a.m. EDT. SAMPEX is designed to support a minimum mission duration of 1 year, with a potential mission lifetime of 3 or more years. This small explorer carries a payload of four particle detectors and is designed to detect solar energetic particles, precipitating energetic electrons, anomalous cosmic rays and galactic cosmic rays. Determining the abundance of each element and the abundances of isotopes for many of the elements will enable scientists to learn more about the sun, the interplanetary environment and the interstellar environment. SAMPEX also will measure the number of relativistic electrons (at speeds just below the speed of light) that enter the Earth's atmosphere and contribute to the destruction of ozone. SAMPEX was developed by the Small Explorer (SMEX) project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., in just 3 years since the mission was initiated. SAMPEX, NASA's 68th Explorer mission, is the first in a series of small explorer missions that NASA began in 1989 to perform astrophysics and space physics investigations with satellites launched on small expendable launch vehicles. Two other small explorer missions are currently manifested: the Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer, scheduled for launch in 1994, and the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite, which will be launched in 1995. An announcement of opportunity for other small explorer missions will be released later this year. Dr. Glenn M. Mason, University of Maryland, College Park, is Principal Investigator for SAMPEX, and there are 10 co- investigators from American and German institutions. Gilberto Coln is Mission Manager, Dr. Daniel Baker is Project Scientist and Roberto Aleman is the SAMPEX Instrument Manager. All three are from the Goddard Space Flight Center, as is Orlando Figueroa, Project Manager for SMEX. - end of general release - SAMPEX Science Objectives While SAMPEX, with its four instruments, is expected to provide unprecedented detail about the composition of energetic particles from the Milky Way galaxy (galactic cosmic rays) and from the sun (solar energetic particles), the most dramatic, new results are expected to come from measuring the composition of "anomalous" cosmic rays. Anomalous cosmic rays are thought to be atoms of the local, interstellar gas that enter the solar system, are ionized and then accelerated to cosmic ray energies at the shock wave at the end of the solar wind. At low latitudes, the Earth's magnetic field can turn back most charged, energetic particles before they reach the 342-statute mile to 419-statute mile altitude of SAMPEX's orbit. Nonetheless, SAMPEX's instruments are so sensitive that during the time spent near the Earth's north and south magnetic poles, SAMPEX will obtain 10 to 100 times more galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles than any previous mission. More importantly, SAMPEX will be able to use the shielding power of the Earth's magnetic field at somewhat lower latitudes to discriminate energetic particles coming from the sun and the galaxy from anomalous cosmic rays. If the theory of anomalous cosmic rays is correct, the atoms should be only partially ionized and therefore, able to penetrate the Earth's magnetic field at lower latitudes. SAMPEX will confirm the theory if it observes anomalous cosmic rays at the lower latitudes and will tell scientists much more about the atoms as well. The possibility of directly measuring the composition of a sample of local interstellar matter in this way has very high scientific value. SAMPEX Science Instruments The SAMPEX mission will carry four scientific instruments: the Low Energy Ion Composition Analyzer, the Heavy Ion Large Telescope, the Mass Spectrometer Telescope and the Proton/Electron Telescope. Low Energy Ion Composition Analyzer (LEICA) The LEICA instrument is a mass spectrometer that identifies incident mass and energy by simultaneously measuring the time-of-flight and residual kinetic energy of particles that enter the telescope and stop in one of four silicon, solid-state detectors. An earlier model of this instrument flew on the Space Shuttle in 1989 as a Get Away Special (GAS) experiment. LEICA is provided by the University of Maryland, College Park. Heavy Ion Large Telescope (HILT) HILT will measure galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles when it is near the Earth's magnetic poles. In box as MAST. These four instruments were constructed at the separate institutions and integrated with a Data Processing Unit (DPU) provided by the Aerospace Corp. of El Segundo, Calif. The DPU is responsible for overall control of the science payload and controls instrument housekeeping functions. LAUNCH OPERATIONS The 8 hour, 10 minute launch countdown is scheduled to begin at 2:12 a.m. EDT on June 18. Included in the countdown is one built-in hold at the T minus 10 minute mark which extends from 10:02 to 10:12 a.m. EDT on June 19. Lift-off is scheduled for 10:22 a.m. EDT. The 19-minute launch window closes at 10:41 a.m. EDT. Major tasks in the countdown include a communications check, activating the vehicle ground support equipment, check- out of the vehicle's electronic systems and fueling the reaction control system. In addition, the vehicle and launcher will be secured and erected, and a test of the ignition and destruct systems will be conducted. A weather briefing and a status of the countdown is held about 1 hour prior to launch. A 24-hour turnaround can be supported depending on the nature of a launch postponement. In the event of a 24-hour scrub, the vehicle and spacecraft will be lowered from the launch platform and secured in the shelter at Space Launch Complex (SLC)-5. About 90 seconds after launch at an altitude of about 24 nautical miles the second stage ignites and the first stage is separated from the vehicle. Next, the heat shield encapsulating the SAMPEX payload will be jettisoned at 2 minutes, 28 seconds after launch. The third stage is ignited and the second stage is separated about 2 minutes, 30 seconds after launch. This burn lasts for approximately 48 seconds. The vehicle is oriented to the proper fourth stage attitude before spin up of the fourth stage which occurs about 10 minutes after launch when the vehicle is at an altitude of 300 nautical miles. Then, the third stage separates and performs a retromaneuver to move safely out of stage four's path. The fourth stage is ignited and burns for about 30 seconds. The Scout rocket delivers its payload into orbit about 15 minutes after launch. DOWNRANGE LAUNCH SUPPORT Tracking station support to receive launch vehicle telemetry and data from the first three stages will be provided by NASA and Air Force telemetry stations. Fourth stage data will be provided by an Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft which is a modified C-135 aircraft and serves as an airborne tracking station. SCOUT LAUNCH VEHICLE AND SAMPEX LAUNCH PREPARATIONS Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla., is responsible for the preparation and launch of the Scout launch vehicle which will loft the SAMPEX payload into orbit from NASA's Western Test Range at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), Calif. The Scout is a four-stage solid propellant unmanned launch vehicle that has a 98 percent success record over the last 20 years. A team of 30 KSC employees rotate duty at Vandenberg so that five are on hand during the assembly of the Scout rocket and the payload at Vandenberg. The four rocket motors arrived at the west coast facility by truck during the period from February 18 to March 29, 1991 for a previous mission that was canceled. The motors were stored at VAFB until build-up commenced in early January 1992. Following the motor build- up, a series of vehicle systems tests were conducted March 12- 27. The vehicle was installed on the launcher at SLC-5, located at the VAFB south base, May 15-18. An electronic functional test was conducted May 20. The SAMPEX payload arrived at Vandenberg by truck on May 20. It was transferred to the Dynamic Balance Facility on May 28 where it was mated to the fourth stage and went through static and dynamic balancing operations. The payload is scheduled to be transported to SLC-5 on June 5 where it will be attached to the Scout rocket. The Scout program is managed by Goddard's Orbital Launch Services Project for NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications, Washington, D.C. From April 1959 to January 1991, Scout was managed by NASA's Langley Research Center, Scout Project Office, Hampton, Va. SAMPEX MISSION TIMELINE MET (Mission Elapsed Time) Event L-10:00:00 Spacecraft Closeout L-08:10:00 Begin Countdown L-04:55:00 Begin Scout Fueling L-01:55:00 Power on Spacecraft, Begin Configuring Launch L-00:04:30 Begin Spacecraft Terminal Phase (Switch to Internal Power, Final Telemetry Check) L-00:02:00 Final Spacecraft Go/No Go L+00:00:00 Scout Liftoff L+00:01:24 First-Stage Burnout L+00:01:28 First-Stage Separation and Second-Stage Ignition L+00:02:09 Second-Stage Burnout L+00:02:22 Third-Stage Ignition and Second-Stage Separation L+00:03:10 Third-Stage Burnout L+00:09:54 Third-Stage Separation L+00:09:59 Fourth-Stage Ignition L+00:10:32 Fourth-Stage Burnout L+00:14:44 Spacecraft Separation L+00:14:56 Solar Array Deployment L+04:21:00 Initial Ground Station Pass (Madrid) SCIENCE OPERATIONS The University of Maryland Science Operations Center (UMSOC), located in College Park, is responsible for all science operations. After NASA captures the data from the spacecraft, the UMSOC will receive the scientific data and distribute Level 1 data and line plots to all co-investigator institutions and the National Space Science Data Center at Goddard. Higher level science processing is carried out at the remote investigator sites. SMALL EXPLORER DATA SYSTEM The SAMPEX control and data handling functions are performed by the Small Explorer Data System (SEDS). The SEDS provides on-board computers that can be programmed to perform mission unique functions as required and provides autonomous operation of the spacecraft when it is not in contact with the ground. The data system uses computer memory instead of more conventional tape recorders to record spacecraft telemetry data. The management of the Mission Operations and Data Analysis phase of the SAMPEX mission will be transferred from the SMEX Project Office to the Orbiting Satellites Project Office within 30 days after launch. Both project offices are located at Goddard. GROUND SEGMENT OPERATIONS Goddard's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va., is the primary ground station for communication with the spacecraft. Other ground stations are in Madrid, Spain; the Canberra Deep Space Tracking Station in Australia and the Goldstone Deep Space Tracking Station, Goldstone, Calif. SMALL SPACE MISSIONS SAMPEX is the first in a series of small explorer missions initiated to address a number of important scientific problems using small scientific satellites in Earth orbit. The misisons are relatively low cost, and NASA's goal is to launch one small explorer mission per year following a relativelty short development time frame. The launch of SAMPEX comes just over 3 years since its inception in April 1989. COOPERATIVE SATELLITE LEARNING PROJECT The Cooperative Satellite Learning Project is a unique educational partnership between Laurel High School, Laurel, Md.; Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Seabrook, Md.; Falcon Microsystems, Landover, Md.; and Goddard that involves high school students in the process of developing and operating SAMPEX. This pilot program provides students with an understanding of the overall "end-to-end" system used to support SAMPEX and will demonstrate how NASA implements a specific mission for a given scientific endeavor. It also introduces the students to careers in space. A Mission Monitor System in the high school will receive and process SAMPEX satellite data and provide computer-assisted tutoring. In this way, students will participate directly in SAMPEX tests, simulations and orbital operations. SPACECRAFT SPECIFICS Payload: Four particle detectors SAMPEX Orbit: 342 x 419 statute miles Orbit Inclination: 82 degrees Weight: 348 pounds Length: 4.5 feet stowed Diameter: 2.8 feet stowed Design Life: 3 years Launch Vehicle: Scout Foreign Participation: Max Planck Institute, Garching, Germany PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES Spacecraft Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Science Operations University of Maryland, College Park Launch Operations Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Scout Launch Vehicle Goddard Space Flight Center SAMPEX CO-INVESTIGATIONS Dr. D. Baker Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Project Scientist Dr. J. Blake Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, Calif. Data Processing Unit L. Callis Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. Data Analysis Dr. D. Hamilton University of Maryland, College Park, Md. LEICA Dr. D. Hovestadt Max Planck Institute, Garching, Germany HILT Dr. B. Klecker Max Planck Institute, Garching, Germany HILT Dr. R. Mewaldt Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. MAST, PET Dr. M. Scholer Max Planck Institute, Garching, Germany HILT Dr. E. Stone California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. MAST, PET Dr. T. Von Rosenvinge Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. MAST, PET SAMPEX MISSION MANAGEMENT NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, D.C. Dr. Lennard A. Fisk Associate Administrator, Office of Space Science and Applications Alphonso V. Diaz Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Space Science and Applications Dr. Dave Gilman Program Manager Dr. Vernon Jones Program Scientist Charles R. Gunn Director, Expendable Launch Vehicle Division GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, GREENBELT, MD. Dr. John Klineberg Director, Goddard Space Flight Center Peter T. Burr Deputy Director, Goddard Space Flight Center Orlando Figueroa Project Manager Dr. Dan Baker Project Scientist Gilberto Coln SAMPEX Mission Manager KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Robert L. Crippen Director, Kennedy Space Center James A. "Gene" Thomas Deputy Director, Kennedy Space Center John T. Conway Director, Payload Management and Operations James L. Womack Director, Expendable Vehicle Operations George E. Looschen Chief, Expendable Launch Vehicle Operations UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK Dr. Glenn Mason Principal Investigator