Collaborative Research: RAPID--Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment (DICE) Operations and Data Processing

这是一个短期（不到一年）的努力，开发和实施一个准确的操作姿态确定算法的NSF动态电离层立方体卫星实验（DICE）空间天气使命。 它将支持所需软件模块的开发以及两颗DICE卫星的继续运行。 完成软件模块后，将从卫星上的朗缪尔探测器获得经校正的电子密度和温度数据。 更重要的是，它还将实现检索卫星姿态信息的操作能力，以便两颗卫星都能够可靠地转向适当的方向，以便成功部署电场吊杆。 这些任务将由犹他州州立大学（USU）、大气空间技术研究协会（Atmospheric Space Tech Research Associates）和安柏瑞德航空大学（ERAU）的科学家和工程师合作完成。 该项目将促进教育和学习，让南乌拉尔国立大学和欧亚天文研究所的学生参与卫星操作和数据分析任务。DICE项目由两颗立方体卫星组成，每颗重量不到2.2公斤，于2011年10月28日发射到高偏心率的低地球轨道。DICE CubeSats一起测量电离层中的电场和电子密度的梯度。DICE项目的主要科学目标是研究风暴密度增强（SED）的原因，这是一种主要的空间天气扰动和关注。

This is a short term (less than one-year) effort to develop and implement an accurate operational attitude determination algorithm for the NSF Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment (DICE) space weather mission. It will support the development of required software modules as well as continued operation of the two DICE satellites. Completion of the software modules will result in corrected calibrated electron density and temperature data from the Langmuir Probes onboard the satellites. More importantly, it will also enable an operational capability to retrieve the satellite attitude information so that both satellites can be reliably steered into the appropriate orientation for the E-field booms to be successfully deployed. This, in turn, will enable E-field measurements to be obtained, and the full science mission to be completed.The tasks will be carried out as a collaborative effort between scientists and engineers at Utah State University (USU), Atmospheric & Space Tech Research Associates, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The project will promote education and learning by involving students at USU and ERAU in both the satellite operations and data analysis tasks.The Dynamic Ionosphere Cubesat Experiment (DICE) is one of the first NSF Cubesat missions to be selected and flown. The DICE project consists of two CubeSats, weighing less than 2.2 kg each, which were launched into a highly eccentric low Earth orbit on October 28, 2011. Together the DICE CubeSats measure gradients of electric fields and electron densities in the ionosphere. The main science goal of the DICE project is to study the causes of storm enhanced densities (SED), which is a major space weather disturbance and concern.