scholarly journals BepiColombo Science Investigations During Cruise and Flybys at the Earth, Venus and Mercury

2021 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Mangano ◽  
Melinda Dósa ◽  
Markus Fränz ◽  
Anna Milillo ◽  
Joana S. Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
French Guiana ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Spacecraft Mission ◽  
Joint Mission ◽  
Science Investigations ◽  
Orbit Insertion ◽  
Inner Heliosphere

AbstractThe dual spacecraft mission BepiColombo is the first joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to explore the planet Mercury. BepiColombo was launched from Kourou (French Guiana) on October 20th, 2018, in its packed configuration including two spacecraft, a transfer module, and a sunshield. BepiColombo cruise trajectory is a long journey into the inner heliosphere, and it includes one flyby of the Earth (in April 2020), two of Venus (in October 2020 and August 2021), and six of Mercury (starting from 2021), before orbit insertion in December 2025. A big part of the mission instruments will be fully operational during the mission cruise phase, allowing unprecedented investigation of the different environments that will encounter during the 7-years long cruise. The present paper reviews all the planetary flybys and some interesting cruise configurations. Additional scientific research that will emerge in the coming years is also discussed, including the instruments that can contribute.

scholarly journals Applicability of NGGM near-real time simulations in flood detection

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-126
Author(s):  
A. F. Purkhauser ◽  
J. A. Koch ◽  
R. Pail
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Future Mission ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Flood Detection ◽  
The One ◽  
Real Time Simulations ◽  
Grace Mission ◽  
Gravity Mission

Abstract The GRACE mission has demonstrated a tremendous potential for observing mass changes in the Earth system from space for climate research and the observation of climate change. Future mission should on the one hand extend the already existing time series and also provide higher spatial and temporal resolution that is required to fulfil all needs placed on a future mission. To analyse the applicability of such a Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM) concept regarding hydrological applications, two GRACE-FO-type pairs in Bender formation are analysed. The numerical closed loop simulations with a realistic noise assumption are based on the short arc approach and make use of the Wiese approach, enabling a self-de-aliasing of high-frequency atmospheric and oceanic signals, and a NRT approach for a short latency. Numerical simulations for future gravity mission concepts are based on geophysical models, representing the time-variable gravity field. First tests regarding the usability of the hydrology component contained in the Earth System Model (ESM) by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the analysis regarding a possible flood monitoring and detection showed a clear signal in a third of the analysed flood cases. Our analysis of selected cases found that detection of floods was clearly possible with the reconstructed AOHIS/HIS signal in 20% of the tested examples, while in 40% of the cases a peak was visible but not clearly recognisable.

scholarly journals AIDA: Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (H16) ◽  
pp. 480-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Michel ◽  
A. Cheng ◽  
A. Galvez ◽  
C. Reed ◽  
I. Carnelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
The Other ◽  
Applied Physics ◽  
Binary Asteroid ◽  
Jet Propulsion ◽  
Asteroid Impact ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Goddard Space Flight Center ◽  
Asteroid Deflection ◽  
Joint Mission

AbstractAIDA (Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment) is a project of a joint mission demonstration of asteroid deflection and characterisation of the kinetic impact effects. It involves the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (with support from members of NASA centers including Goddard Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory), and the European Space Agency (with support from members of the french CNRS/Cte dAzur Observatory and the german DLR). This assessment will be done using a binary asteroid target. AIDA consists of two independent but mutually supporting mission concepts, one of which is the asteroid kinetic impactor and the other is the characterisation spacecraft. The objective and status of the project will be presented.

Current status, initial results, and updated plans of BepiColombo/Mio: interplanetary cruise and planetary flybys

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Go Murakami ◽  
Johannes Benkhoff ◽  
Hajime Hayakawa
Keyword(s):  
Electric Fields ◽  
French Guiana ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Science Operations ◽  
Joint Mission ◽  
Spectral Imager ◽  
Dust Monitor ◽  
Initial Results ◽  
Future Plans ◽  
Inner Heliosphere

<p>The ESA-JAXA joint mission BepiColombo is now on the track to Mercury. Two spacecraft for BepiColombo, "Mio" (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter: MMO) and "Bepi" (Mercury Planetary Orbiter: MPO), were successfully launched by Ariane-5 launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guiana on 20 October 2018. Mio is fully dedicated to investigating Mercury’s environment with a complete package of plasma instruments (particles, electric fields, and magnetic fields), a spectral imager of sodium exosphere, and a dust monitor. During the cruise to Mercury, in addition to two spacecraft MMO Sunshield and Interface Structure (MOSIF) and Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) are all integrated together. After the commissioning operations of spacecraft, we are focusing on preparing science operations for interplanetary cruise and planetary flybys. Some science instruments can be used even in the composite spacecraft configuration. The first and second flybys will happen at the Earth in April 2019 and at Venus in October 2019, respectively. In addition, during the interplanetary cruise BepiColombo can contribute to inner heliospheric science by measuring the solar wind and solar energetic particles. Thanks to NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and ESA’s Solar Orbiter, multi-spacecraft observations of the inner heliosphere will soon be possible and provide us deeper knowledge of this region. Here we report the updated status of BepiColombo mission, initial results of the commissioning operations, and the future plans for interplanetary cruise and planetary flybys.</p>

scholarly journals Long-term Preservation of Earth Observation Data and Knowledge in ESA through CASPAR

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Albani ◽  
David Giaretta
Keyword(s):  
Performing Arts ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Earth Observation ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Long Term Preservation

ESA-ESRIN, the European Space Agency Centre for Earth Observation (EO), is the largest European EO data provider and operates as the reference European centre for EO payload data exploitation. EO Space Missions provide global coverage of the Earth across both space and time generating on a routine continuous basis huge amounts of data (from a variety of sensors) that need to be acquired, processed, elaborated, appraised and archived by dedicated systems. Long-term Preservation of these data and of the ability to discover, access and process them is a fundamental issue and a major challenge at programmatic, technological and operational levels.Moreover these data are essential for scientists needing broad series of data covering long time periods and from many sources. They are used for many types of investigations including ones of international importance such as the study of the Global Change and the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Program. Therefore it is of primary importance not only to guarantee easy accessibility of historical data but also to ensure users are able to understand and use them; in fact data interpretation can be even more complicated given the fact that scientists may not have (or may not have access to) the right knowledge to interpret these data correctly.To satisfy these requirements, the European Space Agency (ESA), in addition to other internal initiatives, is participating in several EU-funded projects such as CASPAR (Cultural, Artistic, and Scientific knowledge for Preservation, Access and Retrieval), which is building a framework to support the end-to-end preservation lifecycle for digital information, based on the OAIS reference model, with a strong focus on the preservation of the knowledge associated with data.In the CASPAR Project ESA plays the role of both user and infrastructure provider for one of the scientific testbeds, putting into effect dedicated scenarios with the aim of validating the CASPAR solutions in the Earth Science domain. The other testbeds are in the domains of Cultural Heritage and of Contemporary Performing Arts; together they provide a severe test of preservation tools and techniques.In the context of the current ESA overall strategies carried out in collaboration with European EO data owners/providers, entities and institutions which have the objective of guaranteeing long-term preservation of EO data and knowledge, this paper will focus on the ESA participation and contribution to the CASPAR Project, describing in detail the implementation of the ESA scientific testbed.

scholarly journals On the Impact Monitoring of Near-Earth Objects: Mathematical Tools, Algorithms, and Challenges for the Future

Universe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Giacomo Tommei
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Planetary Protection ◽  
Impact Monitoring ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
The Future ◽  
Operational Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Near Earth Objects

The Impact Monitoring (IM) of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) is a young field of research, considering that 22 years ago precise algorithms to compute an impact probability with the Earth did not exist. On the other hand, the year 2020 just passed saw the increase of IM operational systems: in addition to the two historical systems, CLOMON2 (University of Pisa/SpaceDyS) and Sentry (JPL/NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA) started its own system AstOD. Moreover, in the last five years three systems for the detection of imminent impactors (small asteroidal objects detected a few days before the possible impact with the Earth) have been developed: SCOUT (at JPL/NASA), NEORANGER (at University of Helsinki) and NEOScan (at University of Pisa/SpaceDyS). The IM science, in addition to being useful for the planetary protection, is a very fascinating field of research because it involves astronomy, physics, mathematics and computer science. In this paper I am going to review the mathematical tools and algorithms of the IM science, highlighting the historical evolution and the challenges to be faced in the future.

Swarm Mission: instruments performance, data availability, quality and future evolutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enkelejda Qamili ◽  
Filomena Catapano ◽  
Lars Tøffner-Clausen ◽  
Stephan Buchert ◽  
Christian Siemes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Magnetic Disturbance ◽  
Langmuir Probes ◽  
Incoherent Scatter ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Incoherent Scatter Radars ◽  
Scalar Magnetometer ◽  
Swarm Mission

<p>The European Space Agency (ESA) Swarm mission, launched on November 2013, continue to provide very accurate measurements of the strength, direction and variation of the Earth’s magnetic field. These data together with precise navigation, accelerometer, electric field, plasma density and temperature measurements, are crucial for a better understanding of the Earth’s interior and its environment. This paper will provide a status update of the Swarm Instrument performance after seven years of operations. Moreover, we will provide full details on the new Swarm Level 1b product baseline of Magnet and Plasma data which will be generated and distributed soon to the whole Swarm Community.  Please note that the main evolutions to be introduced in the Swarm L1B Algorithm are: i) computation of the Sun induced magnetic disturbance (dB_Sun) on the Absolute Scalar Magnetometer (ASM) and Vector Field Magnetometer (VFM) data; ii) computation of systematic offset between Langmuir Probes (LP) measurements ad ground observations derived from Incoherent Scatter Radars (IRS) located at middle, low, and equatorial latitudes. These and further improvements are planned to be included in the upcoming versions of the Swarm Level 1b products, aiming at achieving the best data quality for scientific applications.</p>

Six years of Swarm: instruments and data quality status

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enkelejda Qamili ◽  
Jerome Bouffard ◽  
Filomena Catapano ◽  
Christian Siemes ◽  
Jan Miedzik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Quality ◽  
Temporal Evolution ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Product Evolution ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Swarm Mission ◽  
Quality Status

<p>The European Space Agency (ESA) Swarm mission, launched in November 2013, continue to provide the best ever survey of the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution. These high quality measurements of the strength, direction and variation of the magnetic field, together with precise navigation, accelerometer, electric field, plasma density and temperature measurements, are crucial for a better understanding of the Earth’s interior and its environment. This paper will provide an overview of the Swarm Instruments and data quality status and product evolution after six years of operations, focusing on the most significant payload investigations to improve science quality, data validation activities and results along with future validation/calibration plans.</p>

scholarly journals Study of Galactic Cosmic-Ray Flux Modulation by Interplanetary Plasma Structures for the Evaluation of Space Instrument Performance and Space Weather Science Investigations

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catia Grimani ◽  
Daniele Telloni ◽  
Simone Benella ◽  
Andrea Cesarini ◽  
Michele Fabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections ◽  
Particle Detectors ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Interplanetary Plasma ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Ray ◽  
Science Investigations

The role of high-energy particles in limiting the performance of on-board instruments was studied for the European Space Agency (ESA) Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder (LPF) and ESA/National Astronautics and Space Administration Solar Orbiter missions. Particle detectors (PD) placed on board the LPF spacecraft allowed for testing the reliability of pre-launch predictions of galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) energy spectra and for studying the modulation of proton and helium overall flux above 70 MeV n − 1 on a day-by-day basis. GCR flux variations up to approximately 15% in less than a month were observed with LPF orbiting around the Lagrange point L1 between 2016 and 2017. These variations appeared barely detected or undetected in neutron monitors. In this work the LPF data and contemporaneous observations carried out with the magnetic spectrometer AMS-02 experiment are considered to show the effects of GCR flux short-term variations with respect to monthly averaged measurements. Moreover, it is shown that subsequent large-scale interplanetary structures cause a continuous modulation of GCR fluxes. As a result, small Forbush decreases cannot be considered good proxies for the transit of interplanetary coronal mass ejections and for geomagnetic storm forecasting.

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