About
Mission
NORM, the Norwegian Radiation Monitor, measures energetic charged particle radiation in space. Understanding space radiation is essential for the reliable operation of satellites and all human activities in space. Monitoring “Space Weather,” the interaction of solar particles with Earth’s magnetic field and radiation belts, is also crucial for life on Earth. Solar storms can disrupt radio transmissions and damage the electrical grid and electronics on the surface.
NORM operates in the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), a pair of broadband communication satellites that provide coverage over the Arctic. Space Norway owns and operates these satellites. They fly in a highly elliptical three-point apogee orbit (HEO-TAP), touching different domains in the radiation environment. This creates a unique opportunity to validate existing and new radiation environment models. The data produced also supports the development of the second generation of Galileo navigation satellites, which the European Union is currently developing.
Product Features
Application | Measuring kinetic energy for energetic charged particle radiation in space |
Power consumption | 3W |
Dimensions | Sensor unit (DGU): 152,7 x 76,1 x 68,1 mm Processing unit (DHU): 140 x 153,1 x 64,8 mm |
Energy range | Electrons: 0.5 - 7 MeV, 9 log bins Protons: 7 - 200 MeV, 9 log bins |
Detector technology | Particle telescope: stack of 9 Si diodes and Al/Ta absorbers |
Data interfaces | MIL-STD-1553B, CAN-Bus, SpaceWire |
Radiation hardness | 100krad TID, 62MeV cm^2/mg SEL |
In orbit lifetime | Up to 15 years |
Input voltage range | 18V – 37V |