Investigators have reported the existence of electric current in the exhaust plumes of rocket engines and have speculated that this current could generate a sufficiently high electrostatic potential on vehicles in space to interfere with or damage electronic subsystems or instrumentation. This paper identifies the source of the observed current, calculates its magnitude as a function of the engine parameters, and demonstrates that the rocket plume itself can discharge a vehicle in space and prevent buildup of dangerous potentials. (Author)


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    Title :

    Electrostatic Potential Generated by Rockets on Vehicles in Space


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    1968


    Size :

    7 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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