Space experiment on the effects of plasma flows from pulsed plasma injector on the ionosphere

Consideration is given to research objectives, tasks and methods for space experiment Impulse (stage 2) planned to be carried out on board the Nauka multifunctional laboratory module of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station using the scientific package IPI-500. The scientific package comprises pulsed plasma injector unit IPI-500 and vacuum and electrophysical parameters monitoring unit. The main area of research is the ionospheric wave response to the impact of artificial pulsed plasma flows injected from the Russian Segment of the International Space Station during operation of the pulsed plasma injector, being an analog of the ablation pulsed plasma thruster. In addition to the objectives of deliberate excitation of electromagnetic waves in the Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere and the study of their propagation, the Impulse (stage 2) space experiment shall study spacecraft charging under the influence of environmental factors, including the operation of plasma thrusters. The ambient pressure, electric and magnetic fields, currents and potentials near the surface of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station will be monitored using the vacuum and electrophysical parameters monitoring unit. In addition to the above tasks, specifics of the plasma injector operation in space, including its electromagnetic compatibility with onboard systems will be studied.