2015.A.1.4. An L1 CubeSat monitor for space weather

Author(s)

Markos Trichas (1)
Matthew Stuttard (1)

Airbus Defence and Space, United Kingdom

Session

A.1

Keywords

L1, space weather, IOD, science

Abstract

Airbus Defence and Space has carried out a Phase-0 study to design and assess the feasibility of a 6U Cubesat mission to L1 to monitor space weather. The study looked at science requirements, a model instrument payload, and a mission/spacecraft concept. We have focused on a mission to L1 both as an in-orbit demonstration of deep space Cubesat capabilities but also to verify science benefits from synergies with DSCOVR. The baseline payload will be a miniaturised magnetometer with the potential addition of a miniaturised solar wind monitor. The platform and all subsystems, such as AOCS, propulsion, communications, power, platform, are based on flown CubeSat technologies. We have performed a detailed analysis of all systems in terms of survivability in L1. The SLS launch to EM1 has been selected on the basis of providing the smallest DV requirements for a transfer to L1.