A technique for establishing a reference potential on satellites in planetary ionospheres

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

A simple, nearly passive technique is described that allows a spacecraft sensor to be driven to a potential close to that of a plasma where the ion concentration exceeds about 100 cm −3 even in the presence of a large vehicle potential. Such a technique may become increasingly useful in the event that compatibility constraints in the Space Shuttle demand a 28‐V negative ground spacecraft system.