Engineering:Plasma Observatory

From HandWiki
Plasma Observatory
OperatorESA
Websiteplasma-observatory.inaf.it
Mission duration3 years (planned)
Start of mission
Launch date2037 (planned)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
Voyage 2050 (Science Programme)
← NewAthena
Enceladus mission →
 

Plasma Observatory is a proposed space mission under development by the European Space Agency (ESA) as a medium-class mission (M7) within the agency's Science programme.[1][2] Its purpose is to study how charged particles interact with Earth's magnetic field in order to improve the understanding of space weather.[3][4][5] The mission will consist of one mother spacecraft (MSC) carrying an advanced suite of instruments and six identical daughter spacecraft (DSC) with simpler instruments.[6][7][2] It builds on the legacy of the previous European mission Cluster.[8] It is expected to launch in 2037.[9][10][11]

Instruments

The Swedish Institute for Space Physics (IRF) leads the consortia developing the Electric Field Instrument (EFI) and Fields and Wave Processor (FWP) on MSC.[12] The mission's plasma wave analyser instrument is being developed by the Czech Institute of Atmospheric Physics with contributions from the Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of the Environment and Space in Orléans, France.[13][9] The PAFI instrument is being developed by Space Research Center of Polish Academy of Sciences.[14][15]

History

In November 2023, Plasma Observatory was selected as one of 3 candidates for the M7 mission[16] (M5 is EnVision; M6 was cancelled for budgetary reasons),[17][2] alongside the Mars orbiter M-MATISSE and the space telescope THESEUS.[18] It was recommended for implementation in June 2026 and its formal selection is expected in November 2026.[1]

See also

  • List of European Space Agency programs and missions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ESA science missions get green light for new discoveries" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_science_missions_get_green_light_for_new_discoveries. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Marín, Daniel (2023-11-10). "La futura misión científica M7 de la ESA" (in es). https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2023/11/10/la-futura-mision-cientifica-m7-de-la-esa/. 
  3. ↑ www.pageunderconstruction.co.uk. "European Space Agency recommends Plasma Observatory mission to be selected" (in en). https://www.seresearch.qmul.ac.uk/cfp/news/5571/european-space-agency-recommends-plasma-observatory-mission-to-be-selected/. 
  4. ↑ "Home - M7 public presentation - Cosmos" (in en-GB). https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/m7-public-presentation. 
  5. ↑ UNVEILING UNIVERSAL PLASMA ENERGISATION AND TRANSPORT: THE NEED FOR A PLASMA OBSERVATORY
  6. ↑ "Plasma Observatory: A Multi-Satellite Magnetospheric Mission" (in en). https://www.aeronomie.be/en/annual-report/plasma-observatory-multi-satellite-magnetospheric-mission. 
  7. ↑ Srl, Cantieri Informatici. "Dottorato in ASTRONOMY, ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE SCIENCE | Sapienza Università di Roma". https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/ASTRONOMY,-ASTROPHYSICS-AND-SPACE-SCIENCE_nD3486.aspx. 
  8. ↑ astrophysique, Observatoire de Paris-PSL- Centre de recherche en astronomie et (2026-06-16). "The Paris Observatory - PSL welcomes the selection of the Plasma Observatory mission by ESA" (in en). https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/the-paris-observatory-psl-5603.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Czech Scientists to Develop Key Instruments for ESA's New Space Mission – Institute of Atmospheric Physics CAS" (in en-GB). https://www.ufa.cas.cz/en/czech-scientists-to-develop-key-instruments-for-esas-new-space-mission/. 
  10. ↑ Le Contel, Olivier; Kretzschmar, Matthieu; Retino, Alessandro; Mehrez, Fatima; Jannet, Guillaume; Alison, Dominique; Revillet, Claire; Mirioni, Laurent et al. (2025-03-15). "The SCM instrument for the ESA Plasma Observatory mission". EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. doi:10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16777. Bibcode: 2025EGUGA..2716777L. https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU25/EGU25-16777.html. Retrieved 2026-07-17. 
  11. ↑ "Polish scientists join mission to study how solar wind shapes Earth's magnetic shield" (in en). https://scienceinpoland.pl/en/news/news%2C113518%2Cpolish-scientists-join-mission-study-how-solar-wind-shapes-earths-magnetic-shield. 
  12. ↑ modified, Last (2023-11-15). "IRF instruments for potential future mission to either Mars or Earth's Orbit" (in en). https://www.irf.se/en/aktuellt/2023/11-15-irf-instruments-for-potential-future-mission-to-either-mars-or-earths-orbit/. 
  13. ↑ "Češi vyvinou přístroje pro zkoumání kosmického plazmatu" (in cs). 2026-06-11. https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/veda-skoly-cesi-budou-vyvijet-pristroje-pro-novou-vesmirnou-misi-esa-40582803. 
  14. ↑ "Instruments co-created by Polish scientists to study Earth's magnetosphere" (in en). https://scienceinpoland.pl/en/news/news%2C106489%2Cinstruments-co-created-polish-scientists-study-earths-magnetosphere.html. 
  15. ↑ "Spotkanie konsorcjum instrumentu PAFI projektowanego na misję ESA Plasma Observatory - CBK PAN" (in pl-PL). CBK PAN. 2025-02-04. https://cbkpan.pl/spotkanie-konsorcjum-instrumentu-pafi-projektowanego-na-misje-esa-plasma-observatory/. 
  16. ↑ Michelagnoli, Marianna; Marcucci, Maria Federica; Retinò, Alessandro; Berthomier, Matthieu; Khotyaintsev, Yuri; Eriksson, Anders; Soucek, Jan; Johansson, Fredrik et al. (2026-03-13) (in en). Preliminary analyses of Surface Charging effects for the Plasma Observatory (PMO) mission (Report). Copernicus Meetings. doi:10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19522. https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU26/EGU26-19522.html. 
  17. ↑ "Leigh Fletcher (@LeighFletcher) on X" (in en-US). X (formerly Twitter). 2019-02-26. https://x.com/LeighFletcher/status/1100322293341925376. 
  18. ↑ "Final three for ESA's next medium science mission" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/CDF/Final_three_for_ESA_s_next_medium_science_mission. 

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