(U) Small On-Board Environmental Diagnostic System (SOBEDS)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Small On-Board Environmental Diagnostic System (SOBEDS) is a set of space environment sensors designed to provide improved capabilities for monitoring the natural space environmental hazards that effect the performance, operations and lifetime of DoD space systems.  SOBEDS will provide detailed knowledge of the conditions in of the hostile space environment which may adversely effect materials, equipment, and technologies of Air Force space systems. This data will minimize operational failures due to environmental effects, save time, and diminish expensive redesign of complex space systems.  SOBEDS will also increase the quality and quantity of data for space weather specifications and forecasts.

Description: (U)
(U)  SOBEDS is intended to fly as an integrated suite of miniaturized environmental sensors and a central pocesing unit.  The environmental sensors will be optimized for low weight, volume, and power consumption.  The central processing unit will include a single spacecraft data/command interface.  

(U) The SOBEDS package consists of a suite of five individual sensors integrated with a microprocessor to provide a single interface to the host satellite. High energy electrons (3-30 MeV) are measured using a 11.4" x 5.8" x 3.6" electron telescope. Low energy particles (0.1 - 1.0 MeV electrons and 1 - 20 MeV protons) are measured using a 4" x 4" x 1.5" three element silicon detector telescope. A sophisticated 5" x 4"x 1.5" telescope detector is designed for the measurement of high energy protons (10-300 MeV). A secondary capability of this High Energy Particle (HEP) detector is to measure incident electrons in the 1-5 MeV range which covers the gap between the Low Energy Particle (LEP) detector and the 3-30 MeV Electron Telescope. Radiation dose measurements for electrons from 0.2 - 10 Mev and for protons, alpha-particles, and heavy ions from 10-100 MeV/nucleon are obtained using a 4" x 4" x 1.4" dosimeter. Finally, vector magnetic field measurements for fields in the range of 100 nT - 40,000 nT will be provided by a small fiber optic based magnetometer.

 (U) SOBEDS will be easily incorporated as a standard instrument complement or as a monitoring system on operational and scientific satellites. In addition, each individual instrument could fly alone to provide specific environmental data with minimal impact on spacecraft resources (i.e. weight and power). These instruments will be available by the end of FY98. The preferred test flight orbits are a Molniya or geosynchronous transfer orbit because of their exposure to the radiation belts.

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Programmable.
	(U) IOC: 10/2005 (1QFY2006).

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) CEASE, SABRS

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) None.

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)