Atrid-2 : An advanced auroral microprobe

• Astri-2 is an advanced auroral microprobe with dual primary mission objectives; to do high-quality in situ measurements of the physical processes behind the aurora, and to demonstrate the usefulness of microspacecraft as advanced research tools. Mission success will open up entirely new possibilities to carry out low-budget multipoint measurements in near-Earth space. This long-desired kind of in situ measurements are the next major step forward in experimental space physics. Astrid-2 has platform dimensions of 45×45×30 cm, a total mass of just below 30 kg, and carries scientific instruments for measuring local electric and magnetic fields, plasma density and density fluctuations, ions and electrons, as well as photometers for remote imaging of auroral emissions. Attitude determination is provided by a high-precision star imager. Some 250 Mbytes' worth of scientific data will be received each day at the two ground stations. Astrid-2 will be launched as a piggy-back on a Russian Kosmos-3M launcher into an 83 deg inclination circular orbit at 1000 km altitude. Nodal regression will give complete coverage of all local time sectors every 3.5 months. © 1999 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Rymd- och flygteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Aerospace Engineering (hsv//eng)

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