Electrostatic Discharge Characteristics of High-orbit Spacecraft Docking Based on Simulation and Experiment

LIU Yenan; DU Zening; WANG Zhihao; WANG Jinghu; NIE Xiangyu; XU Yanlin; WANG Sizhan; ZHAO Yuxin; GUO Jiali; LIU Yuming

doi:10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.03.003

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Equipment Environmental Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (3) : 19-27. DOI: 10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.03.003

Special Issue—Equipment Service Environment and Performance Testing

Electrostatic Discharge Characteristics of High-orbit Spacecraft Docking Based on Simulation and Experiment

LIU Yenan^1,2, DU Zening¹, WANG Zhihao^1,2, WANG Jinghu¹, NIE Xiangyu¹, XU Yanlin^1,2, WANG Sizhan¹, ZHAO Yuxin^1,2, GUO Jiali¹, LIU Yuming^1,2,*

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Abstract

The work aims to conduct research on the issue of electrostatic discharge that may occur during docking operations when spacecrafts operating in complex plasma environments develop potential differences due to surface charging between different spacecrafts. Based on the PIC method, a simulation model of the charging process for high-orbit spacecrafts was established with the SPIS software platform to simulate the charging characteristics of spacecrafts in harsh and calm plasma environments. The discharge process during spacecraft docking was studied with an equivalent circuit simplification method and the effects of direct-connection resistance and insulation capacitance on discharge current were analyzed. A ground simulation test was designed and conducted and two spacecraft mock-ups were charged with a high-voltage source. A mobile device was used to simulate spacecraft docking, and the discharge process was recorded via an oscilloscope. Simulation results indicated that under shadow conditions, the potential difference between the two spacecrafts reached 12 200 V. Under illumination conditions, the potential difference stabilized at approximately 4 880 V. In a calm plasma environment, the potential difference was only 4-6V. Equivalent circuit simulations revealed that increasing the protective resistor from 100 kΩ to 10 000 kΩ and decreasing the contact capacitance from 1 μF to 100 pF reduced the peak discharge current pulse from 9.85 A to 0.55 A, representing a 94.4% decrease. Ground test revealed that the instantaneous discharge voltage reached the kV level, with the target spacecraft experiencing a peak instantaneous discharge current of 6.87 A and the docking spacecraft experiencing a peak instantaneous discharge current of 5.31 A. High-orbit spacecrafts exhibit significant potential differences due to charging in harsh plasma environments, posing severe electrostatic discharge risks during docking operations. Discharge currents can be effectively suppressed by increasing direct-connection resistance or reducing insulation capacitance. Ground simulation tests successfully replicate the spacecraft's suspended charging state and docking discharge characteristics, validating the effectiveness of the ground simulation methodology. This provides experimental basis and reference for electrostatic protection design in high-orbit spacecraft docking operations.

Key words

spacecraft / surface charging / plasma environment / equivalent circuit / PIC simulation method / spacecraft docking

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LIU Yenan, DU Zening, WANG Zhihao, WANG Jinghu, NIE Xiangyu, XU Yanlin, WANG Sizhan, ZHAO Yuxin, GUO Jiali, LIU Yuming. Electrostatic Discharge Characteristics of High-orbit Spacecraft Docking Based on Simulation and Experiment[J]. Equipment Environmental Engineering. 2026, 23(3): 19-27 https://doi.org/10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.03.003

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