The flow of charged particles from space hitting the satellite tends to charge it to an absolute value in relation to its environment and differentially between its parts.
When the configuration of the field or of the potential becomes critical, at the surface of the satellite, electrostatic discharges can occur either into space by electronic blow-off (expansion of electronic space charge), or differentially between several parts of the satellite.
The most immediate effect is the direct injection of large transient currents into electronic circuits or the indirect production of transient currents through electromagnetic coupling of the emitted electromagnetic pulses on satellite parts (e.g. cables and circuits). This can result in losses of system availability. Additionally, breakdown can cause a permanent change in the material properties which can cause the material to be degraded as an insulator.
A typical ESD induced spacecraft anomaly scenario is as follows:
• immersion of a satellite in plasma with energy above 10 keV;
• differential charging of various parts of the satellite;
• exceeding a critical threshold generating the activation and propagation of a discharge in vacuum;
• generation of an electromagnetic field impulse and induction of current in the satellite structure;
• creation of a potential difference at the entrance of a circuit exceeding its susceptibility threshold.