Spacecraft interaction with atmospheric species in low earth orbit

Spacecraft interaction with ambient atmospheric species (O, N-2, O+, and electrons) in low Earth orbit involves collisions at high energies, giving rise to such complex phenomena as the shuttle glow, plume-atmosphere interactions, and plasma modifications. A survey of these and other effects is presented, and conclusions are drawn about possible ambiguities in interpretation of present data. For example, a suggestion is made that ions may play a role in the Shuttle glow phenomenon. Lack of data on the accommodation (in terms of energy and in terms of adsorption and subsequent reactions) of atmospheric species, such as O and N-2, on amorphous surfaces at hyperthermal energies is a distinct handicap in the development of appropriate numerical codes for predicting the effects of spacecraft interactions.