SPORT (Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task)

What is SPORT?

The SPORT mission seeks to understand the conditions under which ionospheric variability develops that lead to scintillation and disruption of communications signals carried through the upper atmosphere. To investigate these conditions, SPORT developed a CubeSat observatory instrumented with special sensors provided by The University of Texas at Dallas, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Utah State University and the Aerospace Corporation. SPORT is a unique partnership between NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center which leads the project, the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA) which developed, built and integrated the satellite, and Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) which provides operations, communications and data processing support for the mission.

SPORT Science Instruments

• lon Velocity Meter (The University of Texas at Dallas): Measures the velocity of the ambient plasma
• Compact Total Electron Content Sensor (Aerospace Corporation): Determines characteristics of the vertical electron density distribution using GPS occultation
• Magnetic Field Probe (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center): Provides high-resolution measurements of the ambient magnetic field
• Electric Field Probe (Utah State University – USU): Using a dual-probe separated at 40cm, measures one component of DC and AC electric fields
• Langmuir Probe (USU): Measures ambient ion density, electron density, electron temperature and the local floating potential
• Swept Impedance Probe (USU): Provides an additional measurement of the ambient electron density

Mission Organization and Timeline

Spacecraft Integration and Testing

• Spacecraft Integration
• Magnetics Test
• Alignment Test
• Vibration