Firm:

          

Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc.

          

   

Address:

          

835 Puente Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93110

          

   

Phone:

          

(805) 964-1496                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Zachary Robinson

          

   

E-mail:

          

zachary@5thgait.com

          

   

Address:

          

502 Balsam Terrace Way SW, AL 35824 - 3508

          

   

Phone:

          

(443) 285-3298                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Amanda Borders

          

   

E-mail:

          

amanda@5thgait.com

          

   

Address:

          

9023 Craigmont Road, AL 35802 - 2909

          

   

Phone:

          

(256) 886-8353                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) :                                                                                                                                                          
Begin: 1
End: 3

          

          

     

Technical Abstract (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words):

The enhancement of the geomagnetic cutoff models inside of the Space Ionizing Radiation Environments and Effects (SIRE2) tool will evaluate and expand on our geomagnetic cutoff modeling as an extension of our previous work. This proposal will also adapt the current geomagnetic cutoff modeling software to be driven by the Dst index rather than the Kp index to better reflect the ring current effects. These improved geomagnetic cutoff modeling timelines will be compared to geomagnetic cutoff measurements for a selected Solar Particle Event (SPE).

This proposal is submitted to the Space Weather Research-to-Operations/Operations-to-Research (R2O/O2R) Technology Development subtopic and will provide key research that can be used to improve future geomagnetic cutoff models. Specifically, this research can be included in the next iteration of the Smart Shea model (circa 2025) to enhance the geomagnetic cutoff modeling of the SIRE2 toolkit. This will provide mission designers, planners, and mission operators with advanced geomagnetic cutoff modeling techniques. Once incorporated into a tool like SIRE2, these advancements will provide improved modeling of the energetic particle environment within the Earth’s magnetosphere.

This Phase I proposal will result in demonstrations that illustrate the improvements that can be made to the geomagnetic cutoff models by driving the model by the Dst index rather than the Kp Index and using finer Dst levels to create the cutoff grids. In addition, these improvements of the geomagnetic cutoff modeling timeliness will be compared to geomagnetic cutoff measurements for a selected SPE to illustrate the improvements in these techniques.

          

          

     

Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

When the goals of this Phase I effort are complete, NASA will have a better understanding of improvements that can be made to the current geomagnetic cutoff models. These improvements will provide better modeling capabilities of the energetic particle environment inside of the Earth’s magnetosphere. The current NASA programs, projects, or missions that could greatly benefit from this Phase I effort are any satellites or missions that operate inside the Earth’s magnetosphere, including the International Space Station, Space Launch System, etc.

          

          

     

Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin can utilize this Phase I/II work to support future space adventure plans. Enhanced geomagnetic cutoff models would provide these companies with more accurate particle environments. There are also numerous DoD and DoE programs that exclusively operate within the Earth’s magnetosphere and would benefit from enhanced geomagnetic cutoff models.

          

          

     

Duration:     6