The ELFIN Mission
V. Angelopoulos, E. Tsai, L. Bingley, C. Shaffer, D. L. Turner, A., Runov, W. Li, J. Liu, A. V. Artemyev, X.-J. Zhang, R. J. Strangeway, R. E., Wirz, Y. Y. Shprits, V. A. Sergeev, R. P. Caron, M. Chung, P. Cruce, W., Greer, E. Grimes, K. Hector, M. J. Lawson, D. Leneman

TL;DR
The ELFIN mission uses two CubeSats in low-Earth orbit to investigate storm-time relativistic electron precipitation, aiming to identify the role of EMIC waves in particle scattering with high temporal and spatial resolution.
Contribution
This paper introduces the design and science objectives of the ELFIN CubeSat mission, highlighting its unique pitch-angle resolution and dual-satellite approach for studying electron precipitation.
Findings
Designed to resolve electron precipitation mechanisms.
Capable of distinguishing EMIC wave signatures.
Provides high-resolution temporal and spatial data.
Abstract
The Electron Loss and Fields Investigation with a Spatio-Temporal Ambiguity-Resolving option (ELFIN-STAR, or simply: ELFIN) mission comprises two identical 3-Unit (3U) CubeSats on a polar (~93deg inclination), nearly circular, low-Earth (~450 km altitude) orbit. Launched on September 15, 2018, ELFIN is expected to have a >2.5 year lifetime. Its primary science objective is to resolve the mechanism of storm-time relativistic electron precipitation, for which electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are a prime candidate. From its ionospheric vantage point, ELFIN uses its unique pitch-angle-resolving capability to determine whether measured relativistic electron pitch-angle and energy spectra within the loss cone bear the characteristic signatures of scattering by EMIC waves or whether such scattering may be due to other processes. Pairing identical ELFIN satellites with slowly-variable…
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