Satellite Anomalies Due to Environment

These events range from minor operational problems to permanent spacecraft failures. Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States have contributed data. This data base of known satellite anomalies is used to study and identify trends in the anomalous behavior of different families of satellites. The trends include seasonal groupings, diurnal groupings, and anomaly types indicative of certain satellite types and manufacturers. Corrections are done with several Solar-terrestrial data sets. Specifically, geomagnetic activity has been found to have significant effects on satellite behavior. Solar activity and cosmic rays have also proven to be important in the anomalous behavior of satellites. Information provided by this program can be used in the design phase of spacecraft to prevent the propagation of problems from one spacecraft to the next. This information can also be used by operations personnel to anticipate
periods of anomalous behavior based on the proven response of an existing craft to environmental conditions.