NanoMagSat, a 16U nanosatellite constellation high-precision magnetic project to initiate permanent low-cost monitoring of the Earth’s magnetic field and ionospheric environment
- 1Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France (gh@ipgp.fr)
- 2CEA-Leti, Université Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- 3University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- 4Open Cosmos, Didcot, United Kingdom
- 5CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
- 6Division of Geomagnetism, DTU Space, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
- 7Institute of Geophysics, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 8Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, Université de Nantes, CNRS, France
The geomagnetic field has been continuously monitored from low-Earth orbit (LEO) since 1999, complementing ground-based observatory data by providing calibrated scalar and vector measurements with global coverage. The successful three-satellite ESA Swarm constellation is expected to remain in operation up to at least 2025. Further monitoring the field from space with high-precision absolute magnetometry beyond that date is of critical importance for improving our understanding of dynamics of the multiple components of this field, as well as that of the ionospheric environment. Here, we will report on the latest status of the NanoMagSat project, which aims to deploy and operate a new constellation concept of three identical 16U nanosatellites, using two inclined (approximately 60°) and one polar LEO, as well as an innovative payload including an advanced Miniaturized Absolute scalar and self-calibrated vector Magnetometer (MAM) combined with a set of precise star trackers (STR), a compact High-frequency Field Magnetometer (HFM, sharing subsystems with the MAM), a multi-needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP) and dual frequency GNSS receivers. The data to be produced will at least include 1 Hz absolutely calibrated and oriented magnetic vector field (using the MAM and STR), 2 kHz very low noise magnetic scalar (using the MAM) and vector (using the HFM) field, 2 kHz local electron density (using the m-NLP) as well as precise timing, location and TEC products. In addition to briefly presenting the nanosatellite and constellation concepts, as well as the evolving programmatic status of the mission (which already underwent a consolidation study funded by the ESA Scout programme), this presentation will illustrate through a number of E2E simulations the ability of NanoMagSat to complement and improve on many of the science goals of the Swarm mission at a much lower cost, and to bring innovative science capabilities for ionospheric investigations. NanoMagSat could form the basis of a permanent collaborative constellation of nanosatellites for low-cost long-term monitoring of the geomagnetic field and ionospheric environment from space.
How to cite: Hulot, G., Léger, J.-M., Clausen, L. B. N., Deconinck, F., Coïsson, P., Vigneron, P., Alken, P., Chulliat, A., Finlay, C. C., Grayver, A., Kuvschinov, A., Olsen, N., Thébault, E., Jager, T., Bertrand, F., and Häfner, T.: NanoMagSat, a 16U nanosatellite constellation high-precision magnetic project to initiate permanent low-cost monitoring of the Earth’s magnetic field and ionospheric environment, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-14660, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14660, 2021.
