The Space Environmental Effects team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, developed the Floating Potential Measurement Unit, seen at right mounted to a truss on the International Space Station.
The Space Environmental Effects team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, developed the Floating Potential Measurement Unit, seen at right mounted to a truss on the International Space Station. The FPMU measures electrical charges that can build on solar arrays and surfaces in orbit, raising safety concerns for astronauts and potentially damaging equipment when electrostatic discharges arise. The team remains deeply involved in research on spacecraft charging, developing the knowledge, materials and systems needed for astronauts to explore deep space and make our journey to Mars a reality.