Auroral Science Missions
Currently Operating Missions
e-POP/Cassiope (Canada: Sept 2013-present) 1,500 x 325 km; 81 deg. inc.
- 500 kg satellite; auroral imager, electric and magnetic fields, neutral mass spectrometer, electron and mass resolving ion analysers
Completed Missions
Cluster: first multi-spacecraft auroral observations complete (2008-9 and 2013) but Cluster continues!
- Cluster observations in the Auroral Acceleration Region (AAR) were serendipitous and the opportunities are now over.
- The visits of Cluster to the AAR occurred because the Cluster orbit perigee dropped to a minimum in 2011 before rising again.
- The instrumentation are not optimised for auroral science, but the mission made pioneering multi-point observations.
Reimei (Aug 2005 - 2010+ tbc)
- Single spacecraft combining plasma instrumentation and multi-spectral imagers: details here
Munin (Sweden: 2000-1) 1,965 x 707 km; 98 deg. inc.
- Single nano-satellite; very small plasma particle instrumentation, miniature CCD camera
Astrid-2 (Sweden: Dec 1998-July 1999) 1,014 x 968 km; 83 deg. inc.
- Single microsatellite carrying electric and magnetic fields instrument, UV photometer, Langmuir probe, ion and electron spectrometer
FAST (USA: 1996-200?) 4300 x 350 km; 83 deg inc.
- Single spacecraft carrying plasma instrumentation including 3D electric field
- First mission with very high time resolution particle data
Interball Auroral Probe (CIS, 1996-9?) 19,200 x 774 km, 63 deg. inc.
- Magion sub-satellite
Astrid-1 (Sweden: 1995) 1,026 x 966 km; 83 deg. inc.
- Single microsatellite carrying ENA analyser, UV imager and electron spectrometer
Freja (Sweden: 1992 -5) 1,756 x 600 km; 63 deg. inc.
- Single spacecraft combining plasma instrumentation, and auroral imager
Akebono (Japan: 1989-?) 10,500x270 km; 75 deg. inc.
- Single spacecraft combining plasma instrumentation and UV & Visible imagers
Viking (Sweden: 1986-7) 13,530 x 817 km; 99 deg. inc.
- Single spacecraft combining plasma instrumentation and UV imager
Dynamics Explorer 1 (USA: 1981-91) 23,289 x 568 km; 90 deg. inc.
Dynamics Explorer 2 (USA: 1981-91) 1,012 x 309 km; 90 deg. inc.
- Low altitude spacecraft paired with high altitude spacecraft
Andrew Fazakerley and Matthieu Berthomier