NORM – Space Radiation Monitor

Product Description

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.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) for their help with the mechanical structure and environmental analyses.

NORM was developed under ESA Contract (4000128542/19/NL/AS) with the support of the Norwegian Space Agency and Space Norway HEOSAT AS.

The Instrument

NORM is designed as an easily adaptable space radiation monitor for satellite missions in GEO, LEO, and HEO. Various features such as communication interface, power supply and radiation hardness can be tailored to better fit the needs of the hosting satellite.

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