Discharge detection in high voltage flight hardware

In high voltage flight hardware, design constraints like encapsulation, shielding, limitation of stored energy, limited number of applied components, etc, reduce the feasability of incorporating discharge detection sensors. Taking the Space Telescope Faint Object Camera high voltage cabling as an example, a simulation circuit was built on which discharge tests have been performed in air and in poor vacuum and proposals have been worked out for use of discharge detection sensors for future flight hardware.