NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment Completes Space Environment Tests

The crucial space environment tests for NASA's Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) have been completed successfully. Atmospheric Waves Experiment will investigate gravity waves in Earth's atmosphere during its planned launch to the International Space Station in order to learn more about the connections caused by climate systems both within our atmosphere and between the atmosphere and space.

Atmospheric Waves Experiment will examine how gravity waves move through the upper atmosphere by looking directly down into Earth's atmosphere from its exceptional vantage point on the International Space Station. Scientists will be able to learn from the data gathered by AWE how terrestrial weather affects the ionosphere, which can interfere with satellite communication, as well as the physics and characteristics of atmospheric gravity waves. Dinkinesh, an asteroid, will act as a bridge between these two populations.

On August 9, 2015, astronaut Scott Kelly took this picture of our galaxy and our home planet posing together outside the International Space Station. In the image, which also captures a faint red band of airglow, the Milky Way can be seen extending beneath the curvature of Earth's pole. 
Credit: NASA & Scott Kelly

The goal of the AWE mission is to better understand gravity waves in the ionosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere system, which is the region of Earth's atmosphere between 50 and 500 kilometers in altitude. Because of the high concentration of electrically charged particles in this region's ionosphere, space weather there has the potential to seriously interfere with the space-based communication systems on which we rely. Researchers will learn more about how Earth's weather affects upper atmospheric properties by examining atmospheric gravity waves.

According to Burt Lamborn, project manager for AWE at Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), where the tests were carried out, "AWE is a highly sensitive, precise science instrument designed to be fitted on the International Space Station and operate in the harsh space environment." "SDL put AWE through its paces on the ground to make sure that it will survive launch turbulence and operate as designed once in space."

To make sure the AWE instrument doesn't produce or emit electromagnetic signals that could interfere with other equipment onboard the space station, as well as to make sure that interference from the space station won't affect AWE's ability to produce data, it underwent electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility testing. On a shaker table that replicated the anticipated launch vibration that AWE will experience, AWE was also put through vibration testing. AWE was exposed to a simulated flight environment, including cycling between extremely hot and cold temperatures, while undergoing thermal vacuum testing. To ensure that the instrument satisfies the mission's requirements and to demonstrate its capabilities and constraints under operational circumstances, engineers calibrated the entire system.