3 rd MPO-SWG Report (M. Kato & H. Hayakawa) Focus of SWG and SWT (suggestion) [by Rita Schulz]

1. 3rd MPO-SWG Report (M. Kato & H. Hayakawa) Focus of SWG and SWT (suggestion) [by Rita Schulz] .SWG meetings: matter relevant for instrument development -> Proposal : Combine MMO Design Meeting with MMO-SWG .SWT meetings: MPO-MMO scientific coordination Science Presentations .Special SWT in Padova Date : 26-28 Sep. 2006 (Replacement of canceled 1st Bepi-Science Conference)

2. Mission Design [Mauro Novara] .Various alternative mission scenarios studied during 2005 .Current baseline (for industrial ITT): . Launch by Soyuz 2-1B/Fregat from CSG (Kourou): . Launch in Aug. 2013 window (6-year cruise duration) . MCS composite spacecraft: - (ESA's) MPO and (JAXA's) MMO science spacecraft - Propulsive Segment . Electrical Propulsion interplanetary transfer: - Twin Gridded-Ion thrusters firing inside Venus orbit - Minimum thrust-to-mass ratio adopted for mass saving . Lunar, Earth, 2 Venus, 2 Mercury flybys/gravity assists . Gravity capture into Mercury orbit . Final Mercury orbit adjustment by chemical propulsion . Science operations: 1 year nominal + 1 year extended . Primary backup: Feb-14 launch (also 6-year cruise duration, lower dV)

3. Nominal Interplanetary Trajectory(2013) Departure: . Launch Period opens: 1 Aug. 2013 Arrival: . Date: 31 Aug. 2019 +/-88 days . Mercury True Anomaly: approx. 67deg . Transfer Time: 6.1years dV Capabilities: . Electrical: 7.9km/s, Chemical: 1.1km/s . Nominal (incl. Navigation/contingencies) Mass Performance: . Launch: 2298kg to 314000km apogee . Mass into MMO Orbit: 1031kg (incl. System Margin) . MPO Mass: 500kg-class (Nominal) . MMO Mass: 250kg (incl. System Margin)

4. Central Parts Procurement Scheme (CPPA): • covering MPO and European MMO instruments • Competitive CPPA ITT carried out, TEB completed. • CPPA will be selected by Prime Contractor as part of the Core Team. • November 2006: CPPA contractor kick-off. • In the meantime: PIs shall further consolidate their Preferred Parts Lists, which will be input to the CPPA kick-off. -> Project will approach Experiment Teams (incl. MMO) accordingly

5. FPGA Implementation Studies: • FPGA / Leon 3-FT Status (Gaisler Research): • evaluated by SCI-A, AX2000 and Xilinx target FPGAs • based on Pender Spartan3 board, respectively own design • basic concept judged workable, albeit needs significant familiarisation • First TN available, summary report expected by week 11 • main issue is suggested ESA FPGA policy (as an result of FPGA alert); would require costly and time consuming qualification and acceptance => status review 23 March

6. FPGA related information (Private communication with ESA PA) .ESA FPGA Working Group recommend (recommendation 5) Post programming burn-in for every FPGA (240hr, 125C) .RTAX Lack of information of reliability etc. Class-Q is not yet released. => ESA PA recommends not to use RTAX especially important part. Decision should be done by project. .Currently ESA PA recommend ASIC instead of large FPGA

7. BepiColombo Portal Web services: Status and new features of the BepiColombo-Portal (http://www.rssd.esa.int/BEPICOLOMBO) were presented. This portal is partly open to the public. The non-public area is accessible with a user name and password. Via the portal the latest news can be obtained about BepiColombo, including meeting announcements, instrument descriptions, access to the Livelink database and to personnel data. It was recommended to send out an information note about updates and new features on a regular basis, about every two-month. We also will look into setting up an information page including information on latest up-dates. Serene Simulator The Serena Team provided a demonstration of the “Serena Simulator”: http://elena.ifsi.rm.cnr.it