Fig. I. Artist concept of Environmental Study Program (ESP). plasma density, and excitation of strong plasma waves in the D, E and F layers of the ionosphere. A large balloon to which the microwave beam is transparent is deployed in front of the sub-satellite in order to study empirically the effects of the high power microwaves in the ionosphere (shown in Fig. 1). Any various plasma conditions corresponding to different layers of the ionosphere can be realized in the balloon by controlling the contained gas pressure and the installed plasma source. Interactions between the microwave beam transmitted from the bus platform and the simulated ionosphere in the balloon are observed with several diagnostic tools (VLF and HF receivers, impedance and Langmuir probes, Faraday cups and vacuum gauges). These are installed in a Diagnostic Unit (DU) which is movable along an extended wire in the balloon. Data obtained by the DU is transmitted with optical fibres to the central computer on the sub-satellite. The balloon can be separated from the subsatellite after the test. The DU is also to be separated with the balloon in case of an emergency. The sub-satellite has two balloons with each DU. If necessary, new balloons are to be carried to and sent to the sub-satellite with the teleoperator. MECHANICAL DESIGN OF THE METT SUB-SATELLITE A conceptual configuration of the sub-satellite is shown in Fig. 2. Its shape is an octagonal column. The sub-satellite has four booms of 20 m long on which dipole antenna arrays are attached. It also has nozzles of the gas jets on its sides for the attitude control. The balloon (20 m^) is deployed on the top and the base of the sub-satellite. The sub-satellite is installed with two identical balloon systems: consisting of the balloon, gas controller, plasma source, DU and an extension mechanism of the DU (shown in Fig. 3). The balloon made of polyvinyl resin is folded and kept in the vessel. Nitrogen gas is injected into supporting tubes of the balloon in order to deploy the balloon. The balloon is separated from the subsatellite after the test or in emergency.
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