The Delaware Atmospheric Plasma Probe Experiment: the flight computer and science instrument subsystem

Abstract

This thesis presents the development and evolution of the Flight Computer and Science Instrument Subsystem for the Delaware Atmospheric Plasma Probe Experiment (DAPPEr), a 3U CubeSat mission designed to study ionospheric plasma. The research details two major iterations of these systems, with the first successfully tested on NASA’s RockSat-C sounding rocket mission in 2024, and the second designed for DAPPEr’s planned launch. The work validates these designs through the successful collection of electron density and temperature measurements in the lower ionosphere during the UDIP-4 mission, where data showed strong agreement with the International Reference Ionosphere model. DAPPEr will expand upon this foundation by deploying dual Langmuir probes at 400-450 km altitude to investigate plasma characteristics and spacecraft charging effects by alternating between grounding to the rocket-skin or the Langmuir probes. As the first spacecraft led by a Delaware team, DAPPEr will act as a stepping stone for Delaware’s space program development, while advancing both the scientific understanding of ionospheric plasma through CubeSat-based measurement techniques.