Concept Template

1
PERSEUS Mission Investigating global
heliospheric dynamics from L1
Science Objectives Explore changes in
heliospheric material and flow impacting Earth
and planets, outward to the heliospheric outer
boundary Understand the relationship between CMEs
and CIRs Investigate how transient phenomena
affect Earth and planetary bodies Understand
plasma transport and solar wind physics Measure
the societal impacts of solar events Associated
Research Focus Areas Understand the structure
and dynamics of the Sun and solar wind Determine
the evolution of the heliosphere and its
interaction with the galaxy Understand the
response of magnetospheres and atmospheres to
external and internal drivers Discover how
heliospheric magnetic fields evolve Understand
coupling across multiple scale lengths Develop
the capability to predict solar activity and
solar disturbance evolution Specify and enable
prediction of changes to the Earths environment
Concept graphic
Mission Implementation Description Number of
spacecraft One, Pegasus launched Location
L1 Attitude control 3-axis stabilized, sun
pointing Number of instruments 4 Type of
instruments 2 remote sensors (All-Sky Imager,
Coronagraph), 2 in situ monitors (Plasma Monitor,
Magnetometer) (TRL 6-9) Payload resources
required mass 17.5 kg, pwr 24 w,
tlm 104 K bits s-1 to USN Measurement
Strategy All the sky all the time
remote-sensing imagery from L1 from 2.5 solar
radii to 180º anti-solar Ground truth and
in-situ monitor forecast capability from L1
Enabling and Enhancing Technology
Development Light-weight 3-axis stabilized s/c
bus technology enables a Pegasus launch to L1 for
long-duration heliospheric science
exploration Light-weight hemispheric imager
concept provides all sky, all time coverage
with most solar background illumination
excluded. SMEI and NASA STEREO Heliospheric
Imager remote sensors prove and enable concept 3D
MHD heliospheric models provide 3D
interpretation 3D reconstructions of the
heliosphere at high resolution on super-computers
can allow access to these models in near real
time Further ground truth verification provided
by in situ and remote-sensing measurements from
multiple missions