Optical Periscopic Imager for Comets (OPIC) Instrument for the Planned Comet Interceptor Mission

This poster presents an update on the development of the Optical Periscopic Imager for Comets (OPIC) instrument [1], which will be hosted on one of three spacecraft making up the Comet Interceptor ESA-JAXA mission [2]. OPIC is a compact ( \u3c 0.5 kg) monochromic camera for taking images of the nucleus and coma of either a long-period or dynamically new comet, or an interstellar object for mapping, reconstruction and localisation purposes. The camera will operate in a harsh environment with continuous dust impacts throughout its multi-day operation; therefore, the instrument is equipped with a periscope, which protects optics from high-velocity impacts. The probe is spin-stabilised at 4-15 RPM and will be parked in Lagrange point L2 (launched with ARIEL telescope) and depart at a suitable time to intercept a target at velocity 10-70 km/s. The closest approach is approximately 400 km

The fisheye of the comet interceptor's EnVisS camera

Entire Visible Sky (EnVisS) camera is one of the payload proposed for the ESA selected F-Class mission Comet Interceptor. The main aim of the mission is the study of a dynamic new comet, or an interstellar object, entering the inner solar system for the first time. The Comet Interceptor mission is conceived to be composed of three spacecraft: a parent spacecraft A and two, spacecraft B1 and B2, dedicated to a close and risky fly-by. EnVisS will be mounted on spacecraft B2, which is foreseen to be spin-stabilized. The EnVisS camera is designed to capture the entire sky in some visible wavelength bands while the spacecraft pass through the comet's coma. EnVisS optical head is composed of a fisheye lens with a field of view of 180° x 40° coupled with an imaging detector equipped with both band-pass and polarimetric filters. The design of fisheye lenses requires to take into account some issues typical of very wide-angle lenses. The fundamental origin of the optical problems resides on the entrance pupil shift at large angle, where the paraxial approximation is no more valid: chief rays angles on the object side are not preserved passing through the optics preceding the aperture stop (fore-optics). This effect produces an anamorphic deformation of the image on the focal plane, i.e. the focal length is changing along the elevation angles. Tracing the rays appropriately requires some effort by the designer. It has to be considered that distortion, including anamorphism, is an aberration that does not affect the quality of a point source image, thus it can be present also in well corrected lenses. In this paper the optical design of the fisheye lens, that will be mounted on the EnVisS camera for the ESA F-class "Comet Interceptor" mission, will be presented together with the initial optical requirements and the final expected optical performances

The optical head of the EnVisS camera for the Comet Interceptor ESA mission: Phase 0 study

EnVisS (Entire Visible Sky) is an all-sky camera specifically designed to fly on the space mission Comet Interceptor. This mission has been selected in June 2019 as the first European Space Agency (ESA) Fast mission, a modest size mission with fast implementation. Comet Interceptor aims to study a dynamically new comet, or interstellar object, and its launch is scheduled in 2029 as a companion to the ARIEL mission. The mission study phase, called Phase 0, has been completed in December 2019, and then the Phase A study had started. Phase A will last for about two years until mission adoption expected in June 2022. The Comet Interceptor mission is conceived to be composed of three spacecraft: spacecraft A devoted to remote sensing science, and the other two, spacecraft B1 and B2, dedicated to a fly-by with the comet. EnVisS will be mounted on spacecraft B2, which is foreseen to be spin-stabilized. The camera is developed with the scientific task to image, in push-frame mode, the full comet coma in different colors. A set of ad-hoc selected broadband filters and polarizers in the visible range will be used to study the full scale distribution of the coma gas and dust species. The camera configuration is a fish-eye lens system with a FoV of about 180°x45°. This paper will describe the preliminary EnVisS optical head design and analysis carried out during the Phase 0 study of the mission

Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: In-orbit results and lessons learned

The in-orbit results and lessons learned of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 are briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat which was launched in June 2017, performed Aalto Spectral Imager (AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON) and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB) missions. The satellite partly fulfilled its mission objectives and allowed to either perform or attempt the experiments. Although attitude control was partially functional, AaSI and RADMON were able to acquire valuable measurements. EPB was successfully commissioned but the tether deployment was not successful.In this paper, we present the intended mission, in-orbit experience in operating and troubleshooting the satellite, an overview of experiment results, as well as lessons learned that will be used in future missions.</div

Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: design, integration and launch

The design, integration, testing, and launch of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 is briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat, launched into Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km, is operational since June 2017. It carries three experimental payloads: Aalto Spectral Imager (AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON), and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB). AaSI is a hyperspectral imager in visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength bands, RADMON is an energetic particle detector and EPB is a de-orbiting technology demonstration payload. The platform was designed to accommodate multiple payloads while ensuring sufficient data, power, radio, mechanical and electrical interfaces. The design strategy of platform and payload subsystems consists of in-house development and commercial subsystems. The CubeSat Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) followed Flatsat -- Engineering-Qualification Model (EQM) -- Flight Model (FM) model philosophy for qualification and acceptance.The paper briefly describes the design approach of platform and payload subsystems, their integration and test campaigns, and spacecraft launch. The paper also describes the ground segment & services that were developed by the Aalto-1 team.</p

FORESAIL-1 cubesat mission to measure radiation belt losses and demonstrate de-orbiting

Abstract Today, the near-Earth space is facing a paradigm change as the number of new spacecraft is literally sky-rocketing. Increasing numbers of small satellites threaten the sustainable use of space, as without removal, space debris will eventually make certain critical orbits unusable. A central factor affecting small spacecraft health and leading to debris is the radiation environment, which is unpredictable due to an incomplete understanding of the near-Earth radiation environment itself and its variability driven by the solar wind and outer magnetosphere. This paper presents the FORESAIL-1 nanosatellite mission, having two scientific and one technological objectives. The first scientific objective is to measure the energy and flux of energetic particle loss to the atmosphere with a representative energy and pitch angle resolution over a wide range of magnetic local times. To pave the way to novel model - in situ data comparisons, we also show preliminary results on precipitating electron fluxes obtained with the new global hybrid-Vlasov simulation Vlasiator. The second scientific objective of the FORESAIL-1 mission is to measure energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) of solar origin. The solar ENA flux has the potential to contribute importantly to the knowledge of solar eruption energy budget estimations. The technological objective is to demonstrate a satellite de-orbiting technology, and for the first time, make an orbit manoeuvre with a propellantless nanosatellite. FORESAIL-1 will demonstrate the potential for nanosatellites to make important scientific contributions as well as promote the sustainable utilisation of space by using a cost-efficient de-orbiting technology.Peer reviewe

The fisheye of the comet interceptor's EnVisS camera

Entire Visible Sky (EnVisS) camera is one of the payload proposed for the ESA selected F-Class mission Comet Interceptor. The main aim of the mission is the study of a dynamic new comet, or an interstellar object, entering the inner solar system for the first time. The Comet Interceptor mission is conceived to be composed of three spacecraft: a parent spacecraft A and two, spacecraft B1 and B2, dedicated to a close and risky fly-by. EnVisS will be mounted on spacecraft B2, which is foreseen to be spin-stabilized. The EnVisS camera is designed to capture the entire sky in some visible wavelength bands while the spacecraft pass through the comet's coma. EnVisS optical head is composed of a fisheye lens with a field of view of 180\ub0 x 40\ub0 coupled with an imaging detector equipped with both band-pass and polarimetric filters. The design of fisheye lenses requires to take into account some issues typical of very wide-angle lenses. The fundamental origin of the optical problems resides on the entrance pupil shift at large angle, where the paraxial approximation is no more valid: chief rays angles on the object side are not preserved passing through the optics preceding the aperture stop (fore-optics). This effect produces an anamorphic deformation of the image on the focal plane, i.e. the focal length is changing along the elevation angles. Tracing the rays appropriately requires some effort by the designer. It has to be considered that distortion, including anamorphism, is an aberration that does not affect the quality of a point source image, thus it can be present also in well corrected lenses. In this paper the optical design of the fisheye lens, that will be mounted on the EnVisS camera for the ESA F-class "Comet Interceptor" mission, will be presented together with the initial optical requirements and the final expected optical performances

Electric Sail Mission Expeditor, ESME: Software Architecture and Initial ESTCube Lunar Cubesat E-Sail Experiment Design

The electric solar wind sail, or E-sail, is a novel deep space propulsion concept which has not been demonstrated in space yet. While the solar wind is the authentic operational environment of the electric sail, its fundamentals can be demonstrated in the ionosphere where the E-sail can be used as a plasma brake for deorbiting. Two missions to be launched in 2023, Foresail-1p and ESTCube-2, will attempt to demonstrate Coulomb drag propulsion (an umbrella term for the E-sail and plasma brake) in low Earth orbit. This paper presents the next step of bringing the E-sail to deep space—we provide the initial modelling and trajectory analysis of demonstrating the E-sail in solar wind. The preliminary analysis assumes a six-unit cubesat being inserted in the lunar orbit where it deploys several hundred meters of the E-sail tether and charges the tether at 10–20 kV. The spacecraft will experience acceleration due to the solar wind particles being deflected by the electrostatic sheath around the charged tether. The paper includes two new concepts: the software architecture of a new mission design tool, the Electric Sail Mission Expeditor (ESME), and the initial E-sail experiment design for the lunar orbit. Our solar-wind simulation places the Electric Sail Test Cube (ESTCube) lunar cubesat with the E-sail tether in average solar wind conditions and we estimate a force of (Formula presented.) N produced by the Coulomb drag on a 2 km tether charged to 20 kV. Our trajectory analysis takes the 15 kg cubesat from the lunar back to the Earth orbit in under three years assuming a 2 km long tether and 20 kV. The results of this paper are used to set scientific requirements for the conceptional ESTCube lunar nanospacecraft mission design to be published subsequently in the Special Issue “Advances in CubeSat Sails and Tethers”