Missions

The MSSL Space Plasma Physics group has had involvement in a large number of space flight missions, either by providing instrumentation or by participating in the analysis of the scientific data returned.

In July and August 2000 we launched electron sensing instruments (PEACE - Plasma Electron and Current Experiment), for which we are the Principle Investigator (PI) institute, on each of the Cluster space quartet. All 4 are now collecting excellent data from Earth's magnetosphere. Cluster science operations have been ongoing since February 2001. We are also PI for electron (PEACE) instruments on both of the Chinese Double Star spacecraft, launched in December 2003 and July 2004.

Additional current mission involvements include SMART-1, Polar (for which we contributed hardware), Geotail , Wind and Interball. Previous hardware missions include Meteosat 2, AMPTE, Giotto, CRRES, Pulsaur, Meteosat-3 and STRV 1a.

Future

The Space Plasma Group is closely involved in the proposal for Solar Orbiter and leads the Solar Wind Analyser consortium (P.I.: Prof. Chris Owen). The Space Plasma Group was a lead on the proposals for ALFVEN/MICE and IMPALAS that were submitted to the ESA M3 Missions Call. We also supported the proposals for Kua-Fu, EidoSCOPE, Planet-X and Uranus Pathfinder.

Present

Double Star - Chinese magnetospheric satellites including ESA instruments (launch 29 Dec 2003 and 25 July 2004)

Cluster - ESA's 4 spacecraft mission to investigate the Earth's magnetosphere (launch July 15 and August 9, 2000)

Polar - NASA mission to explore auroral regions (February 24th 1996 - present)

Interball-tail - (1995 - present)

WIND (1994 - Present)

Geotail (1992 - Present)

Past

Cluster I

GEOS - 1 and 2 (1977-1982)

Meteosat 2 (1981-1991)

AMPTE - US/German/UK Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers (1984 - 1985)

CRRES - USAF space radiation experiment satellite (1990 - 1991)

Pulsaur (1994)

Meteosat 3 (P2) (1988 - 1995)

STRV - Space Technology Research Vehicle (1994 - 1998)

22 February 2008
cf2@mssl.ucl.ac.uk