2 pi-Steradian, Energetic-Ion Sensor

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel 2 pi-steradian energetic-ion sensor, called the 'mushroom', designed for 3-axis stabilized spacecraft to measure ion energy and composition without articulation mechanisms.

Contribution

It presents the design and development status of a new 2 pi-steradian energetic-ion sensor suitable for 3-axis stabilized spacecraft, overcoming previous limitations.

Findings

Sensor covers 2π steradians on 3-axis spacecraft

Design enables ion energy and composition measurements

Development is funded by NASA PIDDP

Abstract

Because energetic particles populate both planetary magnetospheres and interplanetary space in significant quantities, energetic-ion sensors have been flown since the beginning of the space age. Early sensors were solid-state detector (SSD) telescopes, with conical fields of view, often swept through a circle by virtue of the spin motion of the spacecraft (e.g., IMP 7 and 8, ISEE 1 and 2). In the 1980s and 1990s, foil/microchannel plate (MCP) time-of-flight (TOF) measurements were added to the energy measurement provided by the SSD (eg, AMPTE/CCE MEPA, Geotail EPIC/ICS, Galileo EPD). The resulting energy and velocity uniquely identified ion mass. More recently, we have developed a 2-D fan acceptance angle sensor that includes both energy and TOF. When mounted on a spinning spacecraft, this 160^\circ x 12^\circ FOV sweeps out nearly 4\pi steradians in one spin. This sensor, dubbed the "hockey puck" for its shape, is currently in flight on MESSENGER (EPS) and New Horizons Pluto (PEPPSI).Increasingly, energetic-ion sensors fly on 3-axis stabilized spacecraft (e.g., MESSENGER EPS, New Horizons (Pluto) PEPPSI, Cassini MIMI. While 3-axis stabilization serves imaging science well, it hampers the goal of obtaining 4\pi-steradian ion measurements. We are developing an energetic-ion sensor that measures ion energy and composition, and covers 2\pi steradians on a 3-axis-stabilized spacecraft without an articulation mechanism. Based on its shape, we refer to this design as the "mushroom". We describe the internally funded development of the concept and its status at the start of development funding by NASA under the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program (PIDDP).