Abstract
IBEX provides the observations needed for detailed modeling and in-depth understanding of the interstellar interaction (McComas et al. in Physics of the Outer Heliosphere, Third Annual IGPP Conference, pp. 162–181, 2004; Space Sci. Rev., 2009a, this issue). From mission design to launch and acquisition, this goal drove all flight system development. This paper describes the management, design, testing and integration of IBEX’s flight system, which successfully launched from Kwajalein Atoll on October 19, 2008. The payload is supported by a simple, Sun-pointing, spin-stabilized spacecraft with no deployables. The spacecraft bus consists of the following subsystems: attitude control, command and data handling, electrical power, hydrazine propulsion, RF, thermal, and structures. A novel 3-step orbit approach was employed to put IBEX in its highly elliptical, 8-day final orbit using a Solid Rocket Motor, which provided large delta-V after IBEX separated from the Pegasus launch vehicle; an adapter cone, which interfaced between the SRM and Pegasus; Motorized Lightbands, which performed separation from the Pegasus, ejection of the adapter cone, and separation of the spent SRM from the spacecraft; a ShockRing isolation system to lower expected launch loads; and the onboard Hydrazine Propulsion System. After orbit raising, IBEX transitioned from commissioning to nominal operations and science acquisition. At every phase of development, the Systems Engineering and Mission Assurance teams supervised the design, testing and integration of all IBEX flight elements.
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Abbreviations
- ACE::
-
Attitude Control Electronics
- ACS::
-
Attitude Control System
- ASC::
-
Advanced Stellar Compass
- ATK::
-
Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
- BCR::
-
Battery Charge Regulator
- BOOT::
-
Build Own Operate and Transfer
- BPSK::
-
Binary Phase Shift Keying
- CCSDS::
-
Consultative Committee on Space Data Systems
- C&DH::
-
Command and Data Handling
- CEU::
-
Combined Electronics Unit
- CLA::
-
Coupled Loads Analysis
- DOORS®::
-
Dynamic Object-Oriented Requirements System
- DTU Space::
-
Technical University of Denmark
- EDAC::
-
Error Detection and Correction
- EEPROM::
-
Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
- EMC::
-
Electromagnetic Compatibility
- EMI::
-
Electromagnetic Interference
- ENA::
-
Energetic Neutral Atom
- EPS::
-
Electrical Power Subsystem
- ESA::
-
Electrostatic Analyzer
- FC::
-
Flight Computer
- FCDCs::
-
Flexible Confined Detonation Cords
- FEM::
-
Finite Element Model
- FORMOSAT::
-
Taiwan’s Formosa Satellite Mission
- FPGA::
-
Field-Programmable Gate Array
- GSE::
-
Ground Support Equipment
- HASO::
-
High Altitude Science Operations
- HPS::
-
Hydrazine Propulsion Subsystem
- HTPB::
-
Hydroxy-Terminated Polybutadiene
- HVENG::
-
High-voltage engineering
- HVPS::
-
High-Voltage Power Supplies
- HVSCI::
-
High-voltage science
- HVSTANDBY::
-
High-voltage standby
- IBEX::
-
Interstellar Boundary Explorer
- IBEX-Hi::
-
IBEX sensor measuring ENAs from ∼300 eV to 6 keV)
- IBEX-Lo::
-
IBEX sensor measuring ENAs from ∼10 eV to 2 keV)
- I/O::
-
Input/Output
- LAHO::
-
Low Altitude Housekeeping Operations
- LVENG::
-
Low-voltage engineering
- LVSCI::
-
Low-voltage science
- LUT::
-
Look-Up Table
- MA::
-
Mission Assurance
- MIU::
-
Mission Interface Unit
- MLB::
-
Motorized Lightband
- MLI::
-
Multilayer Insulation
- MPPT::
-
Maximum Power Point Tracking
- MSE::
-
Mission Systems Engineer
- NASA::
-
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- NRZ-M::
-
Non-Return to Zero Mark
- PCM::
-
Power Converter Module
- PDU::
-
Pyro Driver Unit
- PLFW::
-
Payload Firmware
- PIMS::
-
Project Information Management System
- PROM::
-
Programmable Read-Only Memory
- PSC::
-
Planetary Systems Corporation
- RF::
-
Radio Frequency
- RTS::
-
Reagan Test Site
- SCB::
-
Spacecraft Bus
- SCU::
-
Sensor Conditioning Unit
- SDRAM::
-
Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory
- SMEX::
-
NASA Small Explorers
- SRAM::
-
Static Random Access Memory
- SRM::
-
Solid Rocket Motor
- SSR::
-
Solid State Recorder
- SE::
-
Systems Engineering
- SwRI::
-
Southwest Research Institute
- TBI::
-
Through Bulkhead Initiators
- TDRSS::
-
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
- USN::
-
Universal Space Network
- UTC::
-
Coordinated Universal Time
- VAFB::
-
Vandenberg Air Force Base
- VCID::
-
Virtual Circuit Identification
- VEM::
-
Viscoelastic Material
- WFF::
-
Wallops Flight Facility
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Scherrer, J., Carrico, J., Crock, J. et al. The IBEX Flight Segment. Space Sci Rev 146, 35–73 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-009-9514-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-009-9514-9