Multi-functional Hybrid Sounding Rocket/Ionosphere Scintillation Package
多功能型混合式探空火箭／電離層閃爍儀
計畫主持人：趙吉光副教授
(Launch was terminated in 2023Q3)

Ionosphere Scintillation Package (ISP) is proposed by National Central University (NCU) for a contract NSPO-S-106090 required by National Space Organization (NSPO) to install as a mission payload on a multi-functional hybrid sounding rocket to explore ionospheric E-region plasma irregularities over Taiwan. ISP consists of two Compact Ionosphere Probes (CIP) and one aspectmeter (ASM) to assist attitude determination of the sounding rocket. One CIP plays a role of Retarding Potential Analyzer and the other CIP as Ion Drift Meter. CIP is a miniature model of the well-developed Advanced Ionospheric Probe (AIP) onboard FORMOSAT-5 satellite and is capable of in-situ measuring characteristics of plasma irregularities like ion concentrations, ion velocity, ion temperature, or electron temperature in a very high sampling rate. Currently, CIP has been selected as a science payload for an International Satellite Program in Research and Education (INSPIRE) CubeSat and a NCU-developed Ionospheric Dynamics Exploration and Attitude Subsystem Satellite (IDEASSat). ASM has been installed on Sounding Rocket VIII, IX, and X to acquire attitude information successfully, especially the de-spin process of the Sounding Rocket X. A commercial-grade star tracker will be experimentally integrated into the ASM to make a comparison study and to try data fusion on attitude information. This mission will significantly increase the technological readiness level of indigenously developed mission payload that is crucial to understand the ionospheric E-region plasma irregularity structure co-observed with ground radars over Taiwan.

依據國家太空中心採購案號：NSPO-S-106090 多功能型混合式探空火箭任務酬載招標公告，本團隊提出此計畫書，將安裝自製任務酬載－電離層閃爍儀（Ionosphere Scintillation Package, ISP）在多功能型混合式探空火箭上，量測臺灣上空電離層 E 域電漿不規則體的結構。ISP 包含兩具小型電離層探測儀（Compact Ionosphere Probe, CIP），可分別扮演阻滯電位分析儀（Retarding Potential Analyzer）與離子流向儀（Ion Drift Meter）的角色；與一具姿態量測儀（Aspectmeter, ASM），可量測火箭的姿態，其為 CIP 資料分析中必備的參數。其中 CIP 為福衛五號搭載之先進電離層探測儀（Advanced Ionosphere Probe，簡稱 AIP）的縮小版，擁有 AIP 高成熟度的傳承。CIP 有能力觀測電離層的電漿濃度、成分、速度、溫度等特徵，並可解析造成衛星與地面通訊閃爍干擾的電漿不規則體。CIP 目前已選定為國際合作的 INSPIRESat 與國內自製的 IDEASSat 3U立方衛星上的科學酬載。ASM 曾安裝在探空八／九／十號，成功地重建火箭姿態。特別是在探空十號上，曾清楚地紀錄到火箭減轉的過程。這次我們希望嘗試能在 ASM 上增加一組商規的追星儀（Star Tracker），除能相互比較外，亦評估資料融合（Data Fusion）的可能。透過此次探空火箭的飛試機會，可提升我國自行開發衛星元件的技術就緒指數（Technological Readiness Level），同時對台灣上空的電離層 E 域電漿不規則體之結構能有進一步的瞭解，來增加地面雷達對不規則體的識別能力。