Two different types of plasma probes have been developed and are currently in operation on board the KOMPSAT-l. One is the cylindrical Langmuir Probe (LP) that measures the electron density and temperature from its current-voltage characteristics in thermal plasmas, and the other is the Electron Temperature Sensor (ETS) which directly gives the information of the ambient electron temperatures. These plasma probes provide the electron properties of the local nighttime ionosphere at the KOMPSAT-l altitudes. In this paper we briefly describe the probes and the initial results obtained from these probes since the beginning of their normal operation in April, 2000.

• 이재진(한국과학기술원 물리학과) | LEE JAE JIN (Department of Physics, KAIST)
• 민경욱(한국과학기술원 물리학과) | MIN KYOUNG WOOK (Department of Physics, KAIST)
• 이은상(한국과학기술원 물리학과) | LEE EN SANG (Department of Physics, KAIST)
• 김준(한국항공우주연구소) | KIM JHOON (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)