Andrew Yee[_1_]
February 3rd 07, 12:27 AM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
2 February 2007
Sophisticated ESA space weather tool under development
If a satellite encounters high-energy particles or other 'space weather'
phenomena before ground controllers can take action, on-board electronics
could be disrupted, scientific instruments damaged and, in very rare and
extreme cases, spacecraft may even be lost. A sophisticated tool in
development at ESOC promises to provide effective monitoring and forecasting
for any type of mission.
But since early 2005, SEISOP (Space Environment Information System for
Operations), a space-weather monitoring and forecasting tool under
development at ESA's Space Operations Centre, has been successfully
providing near-real-time space weather reports for Integral, ESA's gamma-ray
space observatory.
Solar activity influences the entire solar system in several ways, including
generating streams of fast-moving energetic particles and sudden bursts of
damaging X-rays during solar flares.
Energetic cosmic rays from elsewhere in the galaxy also penetrate into our
solar system. These phenomena are some of the major sources of abnormal
behaviour and aging for spacecraft and their sensitive scientific
instruments.
Space Weather affects spacecraft in many ways
Developed in collaboration with the ESA Space Weather Applications Pilot
Project with funding from the Portuguese Task Force at ESA, SEISOP comprises
a database of spacecraft health records and worldwide space weather
observations, combined with sophisticated software applications that provide
reporting, warning, forecasting and history tracking for the Integral Flight
Control Team.
"Space weather affects spacecraft in many ways. There can be random lost
data, changes in orbit dynamics and reduced quality of science data.
Therefore, real-time updates are essential when deciding how long to shut
down instruments during hazardous periods," says Alessandro Donati, Head of
ESOC's Advanced Mission Concepts and Technologies office.
ESA, NASA, NOAA, other sources feed data to SEISOP
Some of the space weather data is gathered by ESA, NASA and NOAA (US
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) spacecraft, while other
observations come from numerous ground-based institutes and facilities.
SEISOP is a member of SWENET, the Space Weather European Network.
SEISOP enables mission controllers to predict when they should shut down
instruments such as star trackers, place systems into 'safe mode' or take
other action to protect sensitive on-board electronics and scientific
sensors.
While some instruments are equipped to automatically shut down during
adverse periods, not all are and bringing an instrument back into service
after an automated shut down is time consuming. Further, it has until now
been difficult to know when radiation had fallen to safe levels, once an
event like a solar flare had taken place.
SEISOP to enter operational development
In 2007, SEISOP will enter operational development aimed at providing all
ESA missions with the same vital space weather updates. "We expect to start
work this year to create the final operational version. SEISOP can
potentially provide warning services not only within ESA but also to space
agencies worldwide, since space weather can affect any spacecraft," says
Donati.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMGSSSMTWE_index_1.html ]
http://www.esa.int
2 February 2007
Sophisticated ESA space weather tool under development
If a satellite encounters high-energy particles or other 'space weather'
phenomena before ground controllers can take action, on-board electronics
could be disrupted, scientific instruments damaged and, in very rare and
extreme cases, spacecraft may even be lost. A sophisticated tool in
development at ESOC promises to provide effective monitoring and forecasting
for any type of mission.
But since early 2005, SEISOP (Space Environment Information System for
Operations), a space-weather monitoring and forecasting tool under
development at ESA's Space Operations Centre, has been successfully
providing near-real-time space weather reports for Integral, ESA's gamma-ray
space observatory.
Solar activity influences the entire solar system in several ways, including
generating streams of fast-moving energetic particles and sudden bursts of
damaging X-rays during solar flares.
Energetic cosmic rays from elsewhere in the galaxy also penetrate into our
solar system. These phenomena are some of the major sources of abnormal
behaviour and aging for spacecraft and their sensitive scientific
instruments.
Space Weather affects spacecraft in many ways
Developed in collaboration with the ESA Space Weather Applications Pilot
Project with funding from the Portuguese Task Force at ESA, SEISOP comprises
a database of spacecraft health records and worldwide space weather
observations, combined with sophisticated software applications that provide
reporting, warning, forecasting and history tracking for the Integral Flight
Control Team.
"Space weather affects spacecraft in many ways. There can be random lost
data, changes in orbit dynamics and reduced quality of science data.
Therefore, real-time updates are essential when deciding how long to shut
down instruments during hazardous periods," says Alessandro Donati, Head of
ESOC's Advanced Mission Concepts and Technologies office.
ESA, NASA, NOAA, other sources feed data to SEISOP
Some of the space weather data is gathered by ESA, NASA and NOAA (US
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) spacecraft, while other
observations come from numerous ground-based institutes and facilities.
SEISOP is a member of SWENET, the Space Weather European Network.
SEISOP enables mission controllers to predict when they should shut down
instruments such as star trackers, place systems into 'safe mode' or take
other action to protect sensitive on-board electronics and scientific
sensors.
While some instruments are equipped to automatically shut down during
adverse periods, not all are and bringing an instrument back into service
after an automated shut down is time consuming. Further, it has until now
been difficult to know when radiation had fallen to safe levels, once an
event like a solar flare had taken place.
SEISOP to enter operational development
In 2007, SEISOP will enter operational development aimed at providing all
ESA missions with the same vital space weather updates. "We expect to start
work this year to create the final operational version. SEISOP can
potentially provide warning services not only within ESA but also to space
agencies worldwide, since space weather can affect any spacecraft," says
Donati.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMGSSSMTWE_index_1.html ]