Adaptable, High-Performance, Low-Integration-Cost Magnetometer for Satellites

Creare proposes to develop an adaptable, high-performance, low-integration-cost magnetometer that can be used on a wide range of Air Force, other DoD, NASA, and commercial satellites.  Accurate, space based magnetic measurements are critical for mapping of magnetic fields around Earth, which is needed to understand and predict the motion of charged particles and plasmas.  Magnetic field measurements provide data about the Earths subsurface, which other space measurements do not do.  Magnetic field measurements also play an important role in space weather and engineering applications of Earth-orbiting satellites, such as attitude determination, momentum management, and scientific instruments pointing. Creares Adaptable, High-Performance, Low-Integration-Cost Magnetometer for Satellites combines available magnetometer hardware with innovative algorithms for calibration that are used to tailor the magnetometer measurement system to meet specific mission requirements without undue cost and physical constraints on the host satellite.  Our calibration algorithms have been shown to compensate for hard and soft magnetic disturbances on the host satellite and allow measurement of magnetic fields on a wide range of satellite missions. During Phase I we will demonstrate the feasibility of our approach.  During Phase II, we will fabricate, test, and deliver a prototype adaptable, high-performance, low-integration-cost magnetometer based on our innovative design. BENEFIT: In addition to providing the required magnetic sensing capability for a wide range of satellites for the Air Force, Creares adaptable, high-performance, low-integration-cost magnetometer has the potential to influence satellite communications, global positioning systems, radar ranging, and inertial navigation systems.