ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the near-Earth space environment, starting from the launch, transfer orbit, and then the operational orbit. Lack of gravity and atmosphere in operational orbit and their effects on the power system design are discussed. The chapter explains how the solar charge particles in the presence of the planet’s magnetic field get deflected to form the Van Allen Belts of charged particles around the Earth, which are parts of the magnetosphere. The rate of impinging flux of micrometeoroid and charged particles of various energy levels hitting a spacecraft surface and their damaging effect on the spacecraft power system design are discussed. The chapter also discusses the impacts of solar wind, solar flares, geomagnetic storms, and the electromagnetic pulse following a nuclear detonation near the spacecraft, along with possible design and operational remedies.
