Laboratory and Flight Results of the Microstrip Plasma Probe

Book excerpt: The microstrip plasma probe, a new diagnostic tool for use in the investigation of ionized media, has been developed and successfully tested both in the laboratory and in an actual flight. It is flush mounted (therefore causes no aerodynamic disturbances); simple in geometric shape (therefore can be modified to fit curved surfaces and ruggedized to withstand shock and vibration); only a fraction of the operating wavelength in length (therefore saves on payload space); and operates with low power (therefore does not disturb the plasma which it is measuring). Experimental results, obtained from both the laboratory and from an actual flight, have been compared to theory and to experimental data from other probes. In both instances the results are close.