51³Ô¹ÏÍø

All the hardware of the HelioSwarm magnetometers is being developed at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. 

Each instrument will use a single fluxgate sensor, and spacecraft mounted electronics box containing front end electronics and a power supply.  The design is based on the successful IMAP, Solar Orbiter and JUICE magnetometer designs. Technology developments for this mission: 

Data communications: the communications interface to the spacecraft is via a UART link directly from the front end electronics to a central Instrument DPU on each spacecraft – previous designs have had a dedicated MAG processor, for HelioSwarm MAG will interface to a central payload processor. The interface has been demonstrated in July 2024 via a MAG simulator and iDPU emulator: full telemetry and telecommand functionality will be developed for the Electrical model hardware.  

Multi-instrument build: HelioSwarm requires the simultaneous build of 9 flight units.  We are adapting our design and processes to streamline production.  

Instrument Heritage 

51³Ô¹ÏÍø College hardware is in successful operation on the Solar Orbiter spacecraft (launched 2020) and the JUICE spacecraft (launched April 2023).

Magnetometers built in our labs at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø have successfully operated throughout the Solar System: on Cassini in orbit around Saturn; on Ulysses over the poles of the Sun; on Double Star in Earth orbit.

We have also provided flight hardware for the Rosetta, Venus Express and Bepi Colombo spacecraft - see the magnetometer laboratory web pages for more information.