Constellation Ready Magnetometer
Abstract
“Constellation Ready Magnetometer” AFOSR Program Officer: Julie Moses; Topic Area: 2 - Space Science Space science experimental research is beginning to shift from missions of a few heavily instrumented spacecraft towards constellations of many lower cost spacecraft. The magnetosphere is vast, complex, dynamic, and has many feedback mechanisms so it must be characterized simultaneously on many scales to establish causality and fully discriminate between spatial and temporal effects. Such multi-point measurements will likely be achieved through a combination of purpose-built constellations and flights of opportunity on commercial spacecraft. Both applications require low-resource instruments that can make high fidelity measurements despite local magnetic noise sources, so that they are not restricted to bespoke spacecraft with severe electromagnetic cleanliness requirements. We will develop the Constellation Ready Magnetometer – a nanosat scale low-noise fluxgate magnetometer payload with integrated spacecraft noise suppression. The Constellation Ready Magnetometer will use two nanosatellite scale sensors on a common boom that both experience the target geophysical magnetic field but act as a gradiometer for local contaminating magnetic noise from the spacecraft. We will use a representative dataset from the Cassiope/e-POP spacecraft to develop relevant source separation signal processing techniques. We will then tailor these techniques to a scaled-down nanosatellite fluxgate payload to create a prototype Constellation Ready Magnetometer suitable for constellation deployment for Space Physics research or operational Space Weather monitoring. This prototype will be tested in a representative laboratory environment using a purpose-built magnetic test facility that exists at the University of Iowa. This proposal supports early career development for the PI, David M. Miles (measurement focused), interdisciplinary development for Co-PI and mentor Ananya Sen Gupta (signal processing focused) and higher education training for two graduate and one undergraduate student for the duration of the project.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 21, 2022
- Source ID
- FA95502110206XX0
Entities
People
- David M. Miles
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Iowa