With MaQuIs we propose a mission to investigate the gravitational field of Mars. Observing the gravitational field over time yields information about the planets tectonic lithoshphere, mass distribution, and composition. Consequently, this mission allows to study static and dynamic processes on and under the surface of Mars, including phenomena such as melting cycles and tectonic activity.

MaQuIs will deploy quantum mechanical means to measure Mars gravitational field with the highest precision yet. In addition, the nature of the proposed instrumentation achieves high sensitivities without needing more complex satellite constellations. As such, MaQuIs follows successful missions for the Earth and Moon, extending the technology to Mars.

In this presentation we will outline the expected scientific merit and explain the underlying technology and planned configuration of the mission.  

How to cite: Woerner, L., Root, B., Bouyer, P., Braxmaier, C., Dirkx, D., Encarnacao, J., Hauber, E., Hussmann, H., Karatekin, O., Koch, A., Kumanchik, L., Migliaccio, F., Reguzzoni, M., Ritter, B., Schilling, M., Schubert, C., Thieulot, C., von Klitzing, W., and Witasse, O.: MaQuIs - Mars Quantum Gravity Mission, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2676, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2676, 2023.

Large parts of the Martian surface have been imaged with orbiters. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) can be used to build Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of Mars with high horizontal and vertical resolution – distinguishing metre-size objects with a vertical error of tens of centimetres – and interpret the geologic history of a site. These maps may aid in rover landing site selection and finding science targets for these missions. However, rover-based imaging ultimately brings the most detailed view of a site and provides ‘ground-truth’ data to orbital observations on much smaller scales. Studying the differences between geologic interpretations from larger scale orbital observations and smaller scale rover images helps understand the limits of orbital maps and the added value of rover observations. We compare remote sensing data from orbit with rover panoramic camera data. The validity of geologic interpretations derived from orbital image data (such as HiRISE) in Jezero Crater is examined with ground-based, publicly available data from Mastcam-Z on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. Mastcam-Z can provide stereo colour images of the scene around the rover. 

The rover is currently in its Delta Campaign after landing at the Octavia E. Butler site and its subsequent trip to the Séítah formation, indicated in the figure below which shows Perseverance’s traverse near the western delta of Jezero crater (the basemap is a HiRISE DTM overlaid on a Context Camera mosaic produced by The Murray Lab).  Along the way, it has imaged the Séítah and Máaz formations and outcrops of the western delta formation. These units are expected to be volcanic (Séítah and Máaz) and deltaic (western delta) deposits. We can use the Mastcam-Z images made along the traverse to test what geologic interpretations we can reliably infer from orbital data.

How to cite: Vleugels, C., Foing, B., and Swida, O.: A comparison of Perseverance rover and HiRISE data: siteinterpretations in Jezero Crater, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-320, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-320, 2023.

EuroSpaceHub is a project funded by the EIT HEI initiative, led by EIT Manufacturing and Raw Materials. The main goal of the project is fostering collaborative innovation and entrepreneurship in the Space-Tech ecosystem. EuroSpaceHub includes several initiatives; among them is the EuroSpaceHub Academy: an educational programme to train young students, researchers and professionals as Analog Astronauts and Space entrepreneurs.

Thanks to the experience of one of the founding partners of EuroSpaceHub - Lunex EuroMoonMars - students have the opportunity to participate as analog astronauts in various campaigns, which makes them learn with a hands-on approach. Analog missions are both important for carrying out investigations with a view to future Space exploration  and for developing technical scientific knowledge in students. EuroMoonMars has been involved in the organization of these campaigns since 2009, starting at the MDRS (Utah). Other missions were organized at the HISEAS base on the Mauna Loa (Hawaii), in Iceland (CHILL-ICE), in Etna/Vulcano Italy, Atacama Desert (Chile), at the AATC in Poland, ESTEC Netherlands, Eifel Germany and others [1-10]. During analog simulations, students learn to control on-board instruments and to structure their own experiments, collecting data and processing the results efficiently. EuroSpaceHub and Lunex support not only student participation in these missions and their organisation, but also a set of specific trainings under the umbrella of the ESH Academy, complementary to the missions. During the missions, PhD and Master's students can take advantage of special settings and equipment to conduct their investigations, which range from Space and planetary science, instruments, protocols, data analysis,
(biology, psychology, physiology and engineering, to name but a few).

EuroSpaceHub and Lunex are also developing an innovative habitat for analog missions and outreach, ExoSpaceHab Express. Its easy transportation, which is conceived on wheels, makes it a unique contribution in the landscape of existing habitats. Thanks to ExoSpaceHab-X, an increasing number of students will have access to the missions and dedicated training. Also, more and more data will be collected to investigate crews’ reactions in confinement, mission protocols, planning and operations. 

References: [1] Foing, B. et al (2022) LPSC 53, 2042 [2] Foing B. et al (2021) LPSC52, 2502 [3] Musilova M. et al (2020) LPSC51, 2893 [4] Perrier I.R. et al (2021) LPSC52, 2562 [5] Crotti, S. et al (2022) EGU22, 5974 [6] Foing, B. et al (2021) LPSC52, 2502 [7] Heemskerk, M. et al (2021) LPSC52, 2762 [8] Foing, B. et al (Editors, 2011) Astrobiology field Research in Moon/Mars Analogue Environments, Special Issue IJA, 10, vol. 3. 137-305; [9] Foing B. et al. (2011) Field astrobiology research at Moon-Mars analogue site: Instruments and methods, IJA 2011, 10 (3), 141 [10] Foing, B. H. et al, (2017) LPICo2041, 5073 

Acknowledgments: We thank EuroSpaceHub Consortium, collaborators, EIT HEI initiative, EIT Manufacturing and Raw Materials, VilniusTech, Collabwith, International Space University, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Lunex Foundation and EuroMoonMars. We thank Adriano Autino and Space Renaissance International, all EMMPOL participants and the staff of AATC.

How to cite: Crotti, S., Pascual, J., Foing, B., Kołodziejczyk, A., Reymen, B., Perrier, I. R., Rogers, H., Pavanello, S., Rauch, C. A., De La Torre, G., and Wedler, A.: Training the future Space Entrepreneurs and Astronauts: the experience of the EuroSpaceHub Academy with the Analog Missions for validation of planetary instruments, protocols and techniques, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-9318, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-9318, 2023.

We propose a suite of instruments, Botany on The Moon, designed to investigate the feasibility of plant growth on the Moon. Botany is composed of two single-species plant growth modules (Arabidopsis, & radish) plus two environmental monitoring instruments that record (1) direct and scattered sunlight in the photosynthetically active radiation or wavelengths (termed PAR), and (2) level of cosmic radiation and induced lunar neutrons. Together these four investigations contribute to our understanding of how plants can be grown on the Moon.

The core perspective in Botany is that physical experiments are needed to understand plant growth on the Moon. Little is known about plant behavior in reduced (fractional) gravity environments (less than the nominal 1g that occurs on Earth). How biology responds to partial gravity (in combination with radiation effects) remains unexplored.

Botany’s primary science goals can be achieved during the sunlit timeframe of a Lunar Day. However, significantly more data and knowledge is gained by extending the growth duration window to approximately 45 Earth days. Hence, Botany is proposing to take advantage of the CLPS provided Survive-the-Night service.  If the CLPS provider is able to provide power for Botany to survive the night, our secondary science goal to determine the feasibility of transitioning the plants from a normal growth phase (at 22^oC during the sunlit time) to a slow growth phase (at 5^oC during the nighttime), returning to normal growth phase (at 22^oC during the second sunlit time) can be achieved. However, all of Botany’s primary science goals can be achieved during the lunar sunlit timeframe, albeit with the loss of data due to the shorter growth duration. The Botany instrument suite including the LPX plant chambers are designed for a 45 Earth-day mission on the Lunar surface, including surviving the 354 hours of the Lunar night. The Botany on The Moon proposed project has a payload mass of ~ 12kg and estimated cost of ~ $11.5 Million U.S. dollars.

The 20-person Botany payload team is led by a mid-career women scientist and involves a gender diverse science and engineering team at various stages in their career from 10 institutions located within three countries. The Botany team includes NASA ARC, KIPR (a long-term NASA ARC contract organization), SDL, UNC-G (a minority serving institution (MSI)), a Canadian instrument provided by McMaster University, and a science team from various institutions. Our team combines complimentary skills, mission management experience, and expertise in plant science.

How to cite: Smith, H.: Botany on The Moon, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-10788, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-10788, 2023.

Callio SpaceLab is an initiative for international space testing, R&D for future human space exploration. SpaceLab's extremely confined environment of the mine and surroundings provide testbeds to simulate human space exploration, analogue astronaut training and experiences for space research and systems in extreme environments on Earth.

Many steps need to be taken here on Earth to put a (hu)man on the Moon and later on Mars. The Earth-based simulation environments are called Terrestrial analogue sites or space analogues. Some analogues are more general, but some have characteristics similar to the extra-terrestrial conditions: e.g., Venus has an analogue environment at Mt. Etna (1), Italy, Mars at Atacama desert (2), Chile and Moon (3), Mauna Kea, Hawai, USA.

Space analogues research covers many topics ranging from testing of habitats and other constructions, fieldwork, in-situ resource utilisation and vehicles; some concentrate on low gravity  (simulated, e.g., in pools) and confinement from the existing world in enclosed environments.

Callio SpaceLab is a concept being developed at the Pyhäsalmi mine, Finland. It is one of Europe’s deepest  (1.4 km) base metal mines. The underground mining ended in 8/2022, but that is just the beginning. The Pyhäjärven Callio is developing the site for a second life, including underground pumped-hydro energy storage, a solar park, FUTUREMINE testing environment for autonomous mining equipment, and more (4,5). Research activities are coordinated by the University of Oulu´s Kerttu Saalasti Institute.

In order to survive on the extraterrestrial landscapes Moon and Mars, one needs to bring enough protection to sustain life and activities. Mine is a suitable terrestrial analogue test environment for confinement studies, biology, astrobiology, in-situ resource utilisation, scientific drilling, rover testing (inclines up to1:7), communications systems testing, space design-, art- and culture projects, etc. (6). The mine has extensive connectivity. Deep space communications can be simulated for different missions, from spaceflights to extraterrestrial bases and activities both on surfaces and in the depth of space objects and celestial bodies.

The site´s hosting rock is a massive volcanogenic sulfide (VMS) deposit formed 1.9 Ga (7). Exploration drilling has found saline water pockets dated at least 30 Ma old. The water samples have shown traces of bacteria common to deep subsurface environments (8).

References

• Gabriel V.,  et al. Mineralogy and Spectroscopy of Mount Etna Lava Flows as an Analogue to Venus. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022LPICo2678.2255E
• Azua-Bustos A.,  et al. The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile as an Analog Model of Mars. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.810426
• Inge IL ten K.,  et al. Mauna Kea, Hawaii, as an Analog Site for Future Planetary Resource Exploration: Results from the 2010 ILSO-ISRU Field-Testing Campaign. Journal of Aerospace Engineering. https://doi:10.1061/(ASCE)AS.1943-5525.0000200
• Callio - Mine for Business. 2023. https://callio.info
• Joutsenvaara J.,  et al. Callio Lab - the deep underground research centre in Finland, Europe. 2021.  https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2156/1/012166
• Tenetz A., More than Planet - Deep residency and workshop, creative Eu-project - 2022-2025. http://www.photonorth.fi/fi/projektit/more-than-planet/
• Imaña M,  et al., 3D modeling for VMS exploration in the Pyhäsalmi district, Central Finland in. In: Proceedings of the 12th Biennial SGA Meeting. 2013. p. 12–5.
• Miettinen H, et al., Microbiome composition and geochemical characteristics of deep subsurface high-pressure environment, Pyhasalmi mine Finland. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffmicb.2015.01203

How to cite: Joutsenvaara, J., Tenetz, A., Puputti, J., and Kotavaara, O.: Callio SpaceLab – Sustainable living, sustaining life, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-15409, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-15409, 2023.

Atmospheric erosion plays a significant role in the long-term evolution of planetary atmospheres, and therefore on the development and sustainability of habitable conditions. Atmospheric escape varies over time, due to changes in planetary conditions and the evolution of the Sun. In the case of a magnetized planet like Earth, the dominant scavenging mechanisms are polar wind and polar cusp escape. Both processes are sensitive to the ion supply from the atmosphere, which depends on the solar EUV radiation and the composition of the neutral atmosphere. Moreover, they are modulated by the coupling between the solar wind and the ionosphere, which depends on the solar wind dynamic pressure and the planetary magnetic moment.

We developed a semi-empirical model of atmospheric loss to extrapolate from current measurements of oxygen escape from Earth to past conditions. This model takes into account the variations of the solar EUV/UV flux, the solar wind dynamic pressure, and the Earth’s magnetic moment. In this study, we identify the main factors and processes that control oxygen escape from Earth, considering present-day atmospheric conditions. We constrain the variation of the oxygen loss rate over time and estimate the total oxygen loss during the last ~2 billion years.

How to cite: Alonso Tagle, M. L., Maggiolo, R., Gunell, H., De Keyser, J., Cessateur, G., Lapenta, G., Pierrard, V., and Vandaele, A. C.: Evolution of the oxygen escape from Earth over geological time scales, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-7046, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-7046, 2023.

The asteroid (16) Psyche is the target of the NASA Psyche mission, where the magnetometer is one of the three science instruments on board. Its purpose is to prove whether the asteroid formed from the core of a differentiated planetesimal. The magnetometer will measure the magnetic field at different distances from the asteroid in order to detect any remanent magnetization, where a magnetic moment larger than 2×10^14 Am2 could imply that the body once generated a core dynamo, and therefore formed as an igneous differentiation.

The Psyche spacecraft carries two three-axis fluxgate magnetometers mounted on a fixed boom at 2.15m and 1.45m, respectively, which provide redundancy and gradiometer capabilities to compensate for spacecraft-generated magnetic fields. The magnetometers will be powered on early in the initial checkout phase and remain on throughout cruise and orbital operations and producing 50 vectors per second. The in-flight temperature of the magnetometers is expected to span a large range, therefore an extensive calibration program has been carried out in order to characterize the instruments and prove the performance pre-flight.

How to cite: Merayo, J. M. G., Weiss, B. P., Ream, J., Oran, R., Brauer, P., Cochrane, C. J., Cloutier, K. D., Elkins-Tanton, L., Jørgensen, J. L., Maurel, C., Park, R. S., Polanskey, C. A., Pich, M. D. S.-S., Raymond, C. A., Russell, C., Wenkert, D., Wieczorek, M. A., Zuber, M. T., and Webster, K.: The Magnetometer on the Psyche mission, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-9912, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-9912, 2023.

One of the challenges in space instrumentation is to measure the energy and 3D angular distribution of charged particles within the limited resources available on planetary missions. Current electrostatic energy analyzers allow the measurement of the energy and angular distribution of charged particles around a 2D viewing plane.

Since most planetary probes are three-axis stabilized, electrostatic scanning deflectors are needed to provide the 3D distribution of charged particles using a minimum of two sensors. However, deflections up to +/- 90° cannot be achieved at high energy (above 10-15 keV) while higher energy accelerated particles play a key role in the dynamics of planetary magnetospheres. In addition, electrons and positive ions have to be measured with dedicated sensors which increases the complexity of plasma payloads and of their accommodation on planetary platforms.

We introduce a novel instrument design, that would allow measurement of the energy spectrum and 3D angular distribution of charged particles on three-axis stabilized platforms without using scanning deflectors. The design is possible using new electrostatic geometries and the capability of additive manufacturing technology. An innovative and compact ion/electron detection system is used to simultaneously observe both type of particles with a single sensor.

 We show that we reach the performance of current reference designs while having a true 3D field of view and significantly reducing the payload needs. With a mass budget of 2 kg, our combined electron/ion instrument fits the requirements to fly aboard small satellites. It would significantly reduce the size and cost of the platform and may open new perspectives for planetary exploration by a fleet of micro/nano-satellites.

How to cite: Hénaff, G., Berthomier, M., Frédéric, L., Jean-Denis, T., Gabriel, D., and Sylvain, P.: Development of a 3D-printed ion-electron plasma spectrometer with an hemispheric field of view for microsats and planetary missions, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2838, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2838, 2023.

NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) imaging spectrometer was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on the 14^th of July 2022.  EMIT measures the spectral range from 380 to 2500 nm with 285 contiguous spectral channels with 60 m spatial sampling and an 80 km swath.  The EMIT imaging spectrometer is optically fast at F/1.8 to deliver high signal-to-noise ratio observations.  Novel methods are used for on-orbit calibration, dark signal measurement, and geolocation.  The EMIT measurement characteristics and processing results through calibration, atmospheric corrections, and surface mineralogy retrievals are reported.  The EMIT science team will use these new comprehensive observations of surface mineralogy across the Earth’s arid land dust source regions to update the initial conditions of Earth System Models to understand and reduce uncertainties in mineral dust radiative forcing at the regional and global scale now and in the future.  EMIT’s measurements, products, and results with be available to other investigators for the broad set of science and applications they enable through the NASA Land Processes Data Active Archive Center.  The connection between EMIT, Carbon Plume Mapper, the Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa, and the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper on Lunar Trailblazer is also described.

How to cite: Green, R.: Imaging Spectroscopy Observations from NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation launched in 2022 and Connections to Imaging Spectrometers for Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Europa, the Moon, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-4510, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-4510, 2023.

The calibrated data from the Cluster fluxgate magnetometer instruments (FGMs) aboard the four Cluster spacecraft are accessible through the European Space Agency (ESA) Cluster Science Archive (CSA). The FGM team at Imperial College – the PI institute that built and supports operation of the magnetometers – has regularly provided validated data to the CSA since its inception. The calibration and validation pipeline is well established and provides measurements at the highest instrument resolution within an uncertainty as low as 0.1 nT. New methods for magnetic field calibration have been proposed in the many years since Cluster’s commissioning. One of these uses mirror mode waves in the Earth’s magnetosheath to determine the spin-axis offsets of an in-flight magnetometer instrument. The FGM team applied this method to the Cluster instrument data during periods when the spacecraft spend a substantive proportion of their orbits in the magnetosheath, typically May-June and October-November. The offsets determined by this method were compared to those determined by the method already integrated into the pipeline. Good agreement was found between the two methods.

Due to the limitations in resource, the substantial effort that would be required to change calibration methods and re-deliver over 20 years of FGM data, and the potential impact on literature already published, the team would not recommend retroactive integration of the new method into the pipeline. However, the study provides a useful sense check of the pipeline and the data already delivered, as well as the remaining data to be delivered through to the end of the Cluster mission.

How to cite: Alconcel, L.-N., Oddy, T., Brown, P., and Carr, C.: Sense-checking the calibration of the Cluster FGM magnetometer spin-axis offsets using mirror mode waves in the magnetosheath, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-10104, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-10104, 2023.

The HyTI (Hyperspectral Thermal Imager) mission, funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office InVEST (In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies) program, will demonstrate how high spectral and spatial long-wave infrared image data can be acquired from a 6U CubeSat platform. The mission will use a spatially modulated interferometric imaging technique to produce spectro-radiometrically calibrated image cubes, with 25 channels between 8-10.7 microns, at 13 cm^-1 resolution), at a ground sample distance of ~60 m. The HyTI performance model indicates narrow band NEDTs of <0.3 K. The small form factor of HyTI is made possible via the use of a no-moving-parts Fabry-Perot interferometer, and JPL’s cryogenically-cooled HOT-BIRD FPA technology. Launch is scheduled for June 2023. The value of HyTI to Earth scientists will be demonstrated via on-board processing of the raw instrument data to generate L1 and L2 products, with a focus on rapid delivery of data regarding volcanic degassing, and land surface temperature. This presentation will describe the mission and the technology, including the interferometric imaging approach, and how the Cube Sat will support instrument operations and data processing.

How to cite: Wright, R. and the HyTI Team: The HyTI Mission: High Spatial and Spectral Sesolution Imaging from a 6U Cube Satellite, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-10917, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-10917, 2023.

In response to the problem that ground-based optical monitoring systems cannot monitor near-Earth asteroids which are too close to the Sun on the celestial sphere, we raise a method that tracks and determines the orbit of asteroids by Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) platforms with optical monitoring. Through data filtering by visibility analysis and the initial orbit information of the asteroids provided by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the asteroids' orbits are determined and compared with the reference orbit. Simulation results show that with a measurement accuracy of two arcseconds and an arc length of three years, the orbit determination accuracy of the DRO platform for near-Earth asteroids can reach tens of kilometers, especially the asteroids with Atira orbits to an accuracy of fewer than ten kilometers. In conclusion, the near-Earth asteroids monitoring systems based on DRO platforms are capable to provide sufficient monitoring effectiveness which enables precise tracking of the target asteroids and forecast of their positions.

How to cite: Yezhi, S.: Near-Earth asteroids orbit determination by DRO space-based optical observations, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-13233, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-13233, 2023.

When a high-voltage charged tether is put into streaming space plasma, the tether’s electric field disturbs the flow of plasma ions and thereby taps momentum from the plasma flow [1-4]. The effect is called electrostatic Coulomb drag. One application is the electric solar wind sail which uses the solar wind to generate interplanetary propulsion [1, 2]. Another application is the Plasma Brake [3, 4] which uses the ionospheric ram flow to generate Coulomb drag that slowly de-orbits the satellite. Both positive and negative tether polarities work. The plasma physics is different, but the net effect is a transfer of momentum in both cases. The reasons are somewhat complicated, but there is good motivation to select positive polarity in the solar wind case and negative polarity in the ionospheric Plasma Brake case. Measurement of Coulomb drag in Low Earth Orbit and testing deployment of tether is to be carried out by ESTCube-2 cubesat [5] which is scheduled for launch in spring 2023, and forthcoming Foresail cubesat scheduled for launch later in 2023-2024.

Project DragLiner is ongoing and funded by ESA to define requirements and a preliminary design of a passive Coulomb Drag based deorbit system capable of bringing down LEO spacecrafts in an order of magnitude shorter time than the current regulations of re-enter time for the spacecraft (25 years). Other main requirements for the deorbiting system are low mass and independence from the spacecraft resources. The project will also create a TRL 4 prototype of a Plasma Brake module that can be used to deorbit a few hundred kilogram satellite or launcher upper stage from Low Earth Orbit. The module deploys ~5 km long tether that is made of four 25-50 micrometre diameter conductive wires. In addition to aluminium wires used previously in Cubesat projects we will also evaluate more advanced carbon fibre composite wires. The redundant multi-wire tether structure is used so that the tether does not break even when micrometeoroids cut some of its wires. The tether is deployed from a storage reel. The tether is kept at -1 kV voltage by an onboard high-voltage source. A ~100 m long metal-coated tape tether is used as an electron-gathering surface that closes the current loop. Alternatively, conducting parts of the debris satellite could be used for electron gathering. The power consumption is a few watts. 

Project Dragliner uses basic Space Plasma Physics to solve a practical and important problem of keeping satellite orbits clean for future generations and preventing a catastrophic Kessler syndrome scenario.

[1] Janhunen, P., Electric sail for spacecraft propulsion, J. Prop. Power, 20, 763-764, 2004.

[2] Janhunen, P. and A. Sandroos, Simulation study of solar wind push on a charged wire: basis of solar wind electric sail propulsion, Ann. Geophys., 25, 755-767, 2007.

[3] Janhunen, P., Electrostatic plasma brake for deorbiting a satellite, J. Prop. Power, 26, 370-372, 2010.

[4] Janhunen, P., Simulation study of the plasma-brake effect, Ann. Geophys., 32, 1207-1216, 2014.

[5] Iakubivskyi, I., et al., Coulomb drag propulsion experiment of ESTCube-2 and FORESAIL-1, Acta Astronautica, 177, 771-783, 2020.

How to cite: Genzer, M., Janhunen, P., Haukka, H., Kestilä, A., Hieta, M., Peitso, P., Yli-Opas, P., Ploskonka, H., Toivanen, P., Sievinen, J., Marques, M., Macieira, D., El Moumen, A., Gholami, F., Olivares-Mendez, M., Yalcin, B. C., and Martinez Luna, C.: Project DragLiner: Harnessing plasma Coulomb drag for satellite deorbiting to keep orbits clean, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14692, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14692, 2023.

Exploiting the Alfvénic structures of the solar wind is an established method for calibrating spaceborne magnetometers. However, not every statistical property of Alfvén waves follows a uniform distribution, so calibration accuracy in certain sensor directions may be significantly affected by the choice of the data set used. This work examines the statistical properties of Alfvénic disturbances and other structures of the solar wind in a wide range of spatial and temporal scales using data from the current BepiColombo mission, now in the inner solar system, the lunar and Earth-bound satellites of the THEMIS and ARTEMIS missions, and the Earth-bound MMS mission. The influence of the data selection on calibration is characterized and quantified. We benefit from the fact that the magnetometers of the above-mentioned missions have been partially calibrated by independent methods, using the spacecraft spin or alternative observations of the total magnetic field.

How to cite: Mieth, J. Z. D., Plaschke, F., Auster, U., Fischer, D., Heyner, D., and Magnes, W.: Statistics of Alfvénic structures in the Solar Wind and their impact on Magnetometer Calibration, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14810, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14810, 2023.