Researchers from Southwest Research Institute and UT Dallas are jointly evaluating a new space sensor to enhance the measurement of neutral gas velocities in Earth’s upper atmosphere, using one of the world’s only Molecular Beam Facilities.
In an inspiring leap for space science, researchers from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) are combining their expertise to advance the study of Earth’s upper atmosphere. With the support of a grant from the SwRI/UTD Seed Projects for Research, INnovation and Technology (SPRINT) Program, the teams are evaluating a next-generation sensor designed to measure neutral gas velocities.
Led by Joo Hwang, a staff scientist at SwRI, and Phillip Anderson, director of UTD’s William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, this groundbreaking project aims to deepen our understanding of the geospace region, which comprises the Earth’s upper atmosphere and nearby outer space. This area, composed of the ionosphere and thermosphere, is vital as neutral winds drive its dynamics, impacting space weather at all latitudes.
“Understanding the dynamics of neutral wind and its coupling with ionospheric plasmas is critical for protecting military and commercial space-based assets in low Earth orbit from space weather events,”Hwang said in a news release, emphasizing the project’s importance. The SwRI team will utilize their new Molecular Beam Facility (MBF) to validate and enhance the performance of UTD’s Neutral Wind Meter (NWM).
Neutral winds play a crucial role in the redistribution of mass, momentum and energy across geospace, making accurate measurement essential. The MBF will simulate the conditions the sensor will encounter in space, from velocities of 3-6 kilometers per second to temperatures of up to 1,000°C.
“Protoflight sensor hardware has been constructed and tested in the laboratory environment, and numerical simulations have confirmed the instrument’s operational principles and robust approach for measuring neutral gas velocities. The opportunity to test it in an environment that simulates the actual conditions in space is extremely valuable,” Anderson said in the news release.
Their sensor is scheduled for its inaugural space flight on a rocket in 2025, with evaluations taking place at SwRI early next year.
SwRI’s MBF, one of only two such facilities globally, represents a significant asset for domestic space research, with its European counterpart located at the University of Bern in Switzerland. SwRI’s expertise has established this accelerator to support and affirm the capabilities of space sensors like the NWM.
The MBF employs advanced technology, creating a narrow beam of gas that simulates the motion of instruments in space-like conditions. Adjustments to the beam’s properties and the surrounding environment allow researchers to fine-tune the sensor settings, optimizing it for real-space applications.
“SwRI will optimize settings for UTD’s NWM, determining the velocity filter settings needed to create a molecular beam close to the relative velocity of the neutral gas spacecraft experience in low-Earth orbit,” added Hwang.
The SPRINT program, fostering collaboration between SwRI and UTD, is a promising venture that supports interdisciplinary projects. This initiative not only facilitates innovative research but also enhances the capabilities and effective implementation of technology in space missions. By combining the strengths of both institutions, the SPRINT program underscores their commitment to advancing science and engineering frontiers.