Three European scientific satellites of the SWARM project were successfully launched from the Russian Plesetsk cosmodrome on November 22, 2013 with the Rokot conversion launch vehicle equipped with the Briz-KM upper stage. The main task of the flotilla of 3 satellites will be to measure the parameters of the magnetic field of our planet. Purpose: to better understand how this field is born in the bowels of the Earth. The project of the European Space Agency (ESA) SWARM (translated from English "swarm") includes 3 identical space satellites, each of which carries a payload in the form of 7 instruments (service and scientific).
It is worth noting that the launch on November 22 is already the third launch of the Rokot carrier rocket, which is carried out by the Russian aerospace forces from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. Initially, it was planned that the launch of satellites will be carried out in 2012, but at the very last moment ESA postponed the launch of satellites to November 2013. The launch was commanded by Major General of the East Kazakhstan region Alexander Golovko. After just 1, 5 hours of flight, European space satellites were launched into a given near-earth orbit, in which they will carry out their work.
It should be noted that the Rokot launch vehicle belongs to the light class and was built on the basis of the RS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile. Currently, this ICBM is undergoing the procedure for decommissioning the Russian army. The SWARM satellites themselves belong to the Living Planet project, which is aimed at exploring the Earth. These satellites in orbit will join the already operating spacecraft SMOC, GOCE and other satellites that are engaged in studying the oceans, sea ice and Earth's gravity. The Swarm space probes themselves are designed to conduct research to study the planet's magnetic field.
Launch of the Rokot carrier rocket
During Saturday and Sunday, the European Space Agency carried out numerous tests of the onboard equipment installed on the satellites and made sure that it was functioning as planned. After that, the satellites safely deployed special metal rods on which magnetometer sensors are installed. The data obtained by ESA specialists showed that the obtained signal-to-noise ratio is even better than previously assumed. Currently, the space mission has entered the stage of preparing the vehicles for regular operation, this phase will last 3 months.
The global task facing this group of spacecraft is to study changes in the parameters of the planet's magnetic field, as well as its plasma environment, and the relationship between these indicators and changes in the terrestrial landscape. The goal of the project is to understand how exactly the “machine” for generating the magnetic field of our planet is arranged. Today, scientists suggest that it appears due to convective flows of matter in the liquid outer core of the Earth. In addition, it can be influenced by the composition of the crust and mantle of the planet, the ionosphere, magnetosphere and ocean currents.
Interest in the study of the Earth's magnetic field cannot be called idle. In addition to the fact that the magnetic field of our planet orients the compass needle, it also protects all of us from the flow of charged particles that rush towards us from the Sun - the so-called solar wind. In the event that the Earth's geomagnetic field is disturbed, geomagnetic storms occur on the planet, which often endanger spacecraft and many technological systems on the planet. The creators of this mission hope to establish what is currently happening with the Earth's magnetic field, the value of which has decreased by 10-15% since 1840, and also to establish whether we should expect, for example, a change of poles.
Experts call the main scientific equipment on board the SWARM spacecraft a magnetometer designed to measure the direction and amplitude of the magnetic field (its vector, hence the name of the device - Vector Field Magnetometer). The second magnetometer, designed to measure the magnitude of the magnetic field (but not its direction) - the Absolute Scalar Magnetometer, should help him take readings. Both magnetometers are placed on a special long enough outrigger rod, which makes up most of the satellite along its length (about 4 meters out of 9).
Also on the satellites there is an instrument designed to measure electric fields (called Electric Field Instrument). He will be engaged in registration of the parameters of the near-earth plasma: drift, velocity of charged particles near the planet, density. In addition, the spacecraft are equipped with accelerometers designed to measure accelerations not related to the gravity of our planet. Obtaining these data is important for assessing the density of the atmosphere at the altitude of the satellites (about 300-500 km) and getting an idea of the dominant movements there. Also, the devices will be equipped with a GPS receiver and a laser reflector, which should ensure the highest accuracy in determining the coordinates of the satellites. Measurement accuracy is one of the key concepts in all modern scientific experiments, when it is no longer about discovering something really new, but literally “brick by brick” to try to disassemble the known physical mechanisms of the phenomena around people.
It should be noted that the Earth's magnetosphere is not only quite complex, but also changeable in space and time. Therefore, quite quickly after the beginning of the space era in the history of mankind, scientists began to conduct multi-satellite experiments aimed at studying near-earth space. If we have a number of identical instruments at different points, then according to their readings, we can quite accurately understand what exactly is happening in the magnetosphere of our planet, what affects it “from below” and how the magnetosphere reacts to disturbances that occur on the Sun.
We can proudly say that the “pioneer” of these studies was the international project INTERBALL, which was prepared by Russia in the early 1990s, the project worked until the early 2000s. Then, in 2000, the Europeans launched 4 satellites of the Cluster system, which are still working in space. The continuation of magnetospheric research in our country is also associated with the implementation of multi-satellite projects. The first of them should be the Resonance project, which includes 4 spacecraft at once. They are planned to be launched into space in pairs and used to study the Earth's inner magnetosphere.
It's worth noting that all of these projects are quite different. The launched "swarm" will operate in low earth orbit. First of all, the SWARM project is aimed at studying how exactly the generation of the Earth's magnetic field occurs. Cluster spacecraft are currently in an elliptical polar orbit, the altitude of which varies from 19 to 119 thousand km. At the same time, the working orbit of the Russian satellites "Resonance" (from 500 to 27 thousand km) was selected in such a way as to be located in a certain area, which rotates with our planet. Moreover, each of these projects will bring to humanity a piece of new knowledge that will help us better understand what is happening with the Earth.
Most of us have a very distant idea of the Earth's magnetic field, remembering something that we were taught as part of the school curriculum. However, the role played by the magnetic field is much broader than the usual deflection of the compass needle. The magnetic field protects our planet from cosmic rays, it keeps the earth's atmosphere intact, keeping the solar winds at a distance and allowing our planet not to repeat the fate of Mars.
The magnetic field of our planet is a much more complex formation than is shown in school textbooks, in which it is schematically depicted as the Earth with a bar magnet “stuck” into it. In fact, the Earth's magnetic field is quite dynamic, and the main role in its formation is played by the rotation of the molten core of the Earth, which acts as a huge dynamo. At the same time, the dynamics of changes in the magnetic field is today not only of academic interest. Violations of the geomagnetic environment are fraught for ordinary people with disruptions in the operation of navigation and communication systems, failure of power systems and computing systems, and changes in animal migration processes. In addition, the study of the magnetic field will allow scientists to better understand the internal structure of the planet and natural secrets, about which we do not know much today.
The SWARM satellite group was created for this very purpose. Their design and assembly process was carried out by the well-known European aerospace company Astrium. In creating these satellites, engineers were able to embody all the more than 30 years of experience in the study of magnetic fields in outer space, which Astrium has accumulated during the implementation of numerous space programs, for example, the Champ and Cryosat projects.
The 3 satellites of the SWARM program are completely made of non-magnetic materials, so they do not have their own magnetic field, which could distort the course of the measurements. The satellites will be launched into two polar orbits. Two of them will fly side by side with each other at an altitude of 450 km, and the third will be in orbit of 520 km. Together, they will be able to carry out the most accurate and thorough measurements of the Earth's magnetic field during the research, which will allow scientists to draw up an accurate map of the geomagnetic field and reveal its dynamics.
