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LXO/MagEX : UK Project Status

Leicester University's MagEX project aims to develop a prototype system for X-ray observations of Earth's magnetosphere and magnetosheath using lunar perspective. The project has gained support from the X-ray and Observational Astronomy group at the Space Research Centre and is currently applying for funding to support a feasibility study.

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LXO/MagEX : UK Project Status

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  1. Leicester University Radio and Space Plasma Physics (RSPP) Space Research Centre (SRC) X-ray and Observational Astronomy (XROA) Prof. George Fraser Head of SRC Dr. Steven Sembay Co-I on XMM/EPIC Prof. Mark Lester SW/Mag.sph. Interactions Dr. Emma Bunce Planetary magnetospheres Dr. Andrew Read Chairman of EPIC BGWG Jennifer Carter EPIC BGWG / PhD LXO/MagEX:UK Project Status Leicester University

  2. MagEX: Magnetosheath Explorer in X-rays Gained support of XROA/SRC group Presented MagEX at several conferences and meetings Created informational website (http://www.src.le.ac.uk/projects/magex) Developing a telescope simulator Using Satellite Toolkit (STK) to inform fov constraints Put out press release for public outreach Applied to STFC for funding to support feasibility study

  3. MagEX in UK Context Executive Summary “The UK Space Exploration Working Group recommends that the United Kingdom takes maximum advantage of the unique opportunities presented by the Global Exploration Strategy. It should play a full and active role in these programmes and the endeavours that will define space exploration in this century.”

  4. MagEX in UK Context “Another benefit from a lunar perspective will be the ability to take images of the Earth’s magnetosphere (the region of near-Earth space dominated by the planetary magnetic field) and magnetosheath (the region surrounding the magnetosphere where the solar wind is heated by its encounter with the magnetosphere). This region extends to distances of about 100 000-150 000 km from the Earth. Its observation requires a view from a slightly greater distance; the Moon at 400 000 km from Earth is thus ideal.” “A prototype system for X-ray observations is being developed by the University of Leicester, together with NASA Goddard.” Page 22

  5. MagEX in UK Context JOINT STATEMENT FOR INTENT FOR COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF SPACE EXPLORATION BY THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BRITISH NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE 19 April 2007 Dr. Michael D. Griffin Administrator NASA Sir Keith O’Nions Director General Science and Innovation Department of Trade and Industry

  6. Conferences and Meetings • Bremen, Nov 2006 Steve “Towards a European Infrastructure for Lunar Observatories II” Sponsored by EADS/ASTRON • Bremen, March 2007 Steve “To Moon and Beyond” DGLR International Symposium • National Astronomy Meeting, April 2007 Jenny • NASA/BNSCMeeting, September 2007 Mark Sims • Open University, September 2007 Andy “Exploration of the Moon: A UK Perspective” • Royal Astronomical Society, December 2007 Steve “Astronomy from the Moon”

  7. Project Research and Development (PRD) application to Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 4 Application deadlines per year…. 19th of January, April, July, October Panel meets ~ 1.5 months after deadline, so expect to hear early December. …reasonably confident of positive outcome Have asked for a total of 12.5 Staff Months effort split over several work packages (next page) Current effort is borrowed time from the EPIC project I have an offer of some support money from our Departmental Future Projects fund if the PRD bid is turned down or reduced

  8. Project Research and Development (PRD) application to Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

  9. How have we pitched LXO/MagEX in our PRD proposal? We have concentrated (almost exclusively) on the study of SWCX from the solar wind and magnetosheath as the primary science goal….hence “MagEX” The science is unique, interesting and solar-system centric The geometrical argument (size of the region and distance of the Moon etc) is a pretty decent answer to “why the Moon?”

  10. We should/will develop a telescope that can produce images like these….

  11. Telescope Baseline Configuration: • Imaging Capability (Micropore Optic) • Telescope Field of View ~ 30° x 30° • Angular Resolution ~ 1.5 arcminutes • Detector Pixel Size ~ 100 to 200 μm • Detector Energy Range ~ 0.2 to 2.0 keV • Detector Resolution ~ 50 eV FWHM @ 600 eV • Detector Geometric Area ~ 13 cm x 13 cm • Total Instrument Mass ~ 20 – 40 kg • Instrument Power ~ 20W operational, 2W standby

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