Most spacecraft engineers have come across the term space plasma because of the potential risk it represents in leading to high-level spacecraft charging and related electrostatic discharges. Such a phenomenon is a critical environment hazards for satellites, especially in high altitude orbits (including in geostationary orbit). However, there are numerous other plasma interaction effects of which it is also important to be aware, in order to improve engineering design and to optimize the behaviour of space systems in the space plasma environment. Not all spacecraft-plasma interactions are adverse. For example, electrodynamic tethers use current collection from the plasma to complete their electrical circuit and generate power or thrust. Scientific instruments may exploit spacecraft plasma interactions to make plasma measurements, and a magnetsopheric propulsion system has been proposed to use plasma interactions with an artificial magnetic field as a propulsion system.
This clause briefly introduces the various effects covered by this standard. The most common engineering issues are first briefly described in clause 4.1.2 while a short overview of the physical mechanisms involved is given in the second of this section.