Current Plasma Missions

The Space Plasma Physics group is involved in the operation, maintenance and data validation for a variety of missions.

Solar Orbiter

Solar Orbiter was selected as the first element in the European Space Agency (ESA) Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme in October 2011. Following the launch, in February 2020, the Solar Orbiter spacecraft has orbited the Sun once every ~6 months. A series of gravitational assist manouevres at the Earth and Venus (EGAM/VGAM) have lowered the closest approach to the Sun to 0.28 AU (1 AU – an astronomical unit – is the distance of the Earth from the Sun). MSSL leads the Solar Wind Analyser payload and built and operates the Electron Analyser System.

Cluster

Launched in the summer of 2000, Cluster II is part of the Solar Terrestrial Science Programme Cornerstone (together with SOHO) of ESA's Horizon 2000 programme. The quartet of Cluster spacecraft orbit the Earth exploring the magnetosphere and solar wind close to Earth. Each Cluster spacecraft has a suite of instruments to study the waves, fields and particles in the magnetosphere. Part of that suite is the PEACE instruments. Two PEACE sensors on each spacecraft measure the 3D velocity distributions of the electrons that make up part of the space plasma surrounding the Earth.