United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Cornell University

Andrew Nicholas

Michael W Nurnberger

Paul A Bernhardt

Federico A Herrero

Theodore T Finne

Hollis H Jones

Chuck Hoberman

David L Hysell

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to an apparatus that provides four simultaneous ion and neutral measurements as a function of altitude with variable sensitivity for neutral atmospheric species. The variable sensitivity makes it possible to extend the measurements over the altitude range of 100 to more than 700 kilometers. The four instruments included in the apparatus are a neutral wind-temperature spectrometer, an ion-drift ion-temperature spectrometer, a neutral mass spectrometer, and an ion mass spectrometer. The neutral wind-temperature spectrometer and ion-drift ion-temperature spectrometer are configured to separate O and Nand O+ from H+ while the neutral mass spectrometer and the ion mass spectrometer are configured to separate mass with a resolution of one in sixty-four to enable metallic ion identification in the lower thermosphere. The energy analyzer features of the wind-temperature spectrometer and ion-drift ion-temperature spectrometer also enable the measurement of the thermosphere-to-exosphere transition in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Wind ion neutral composition apparatus

A high frequency signal calibration target deployable in outer space includes an expandable and electrically conductive symmetric structure. The structure may mechanically expand from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration. Scatter of high frequency signal off of a substantially symmetric signal calibration target may be measured to accurately calibrate systems using high frequency signals.

Expandable signal calibration target

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Olney, MD, United States of America

Andrew Nicholas