A small spacecraft mission with large accomplishments

Abstract

A remarkable era of space research will end soon when, after 20 years of space‐based observations, the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) spacecraft will reenter Earth's atmosphere. This will result from the resurgence of the Sun's activity and the related increase of atmospheric drag produced by increasing solar ultraviolet radiation. The best estimate is that SAMPEX will succumb to drag forces (and burn up on reentry) in late September 2012, but this could occur as early as August or as late as December 2012 [see Baker et al., 2012]. SAMPEX has been a pacesetting mission since its inception. It was selected in 1989 for flight as NASA's first spacecraft in the “Small Explorer” (SMEX) program [Baker et al., 1993]. The SMEX program was intended both to accomplish forefront science (at a very affordable cost) as well as to provide a training ground in the best space development practices for a new generation of scientists, engineers, and managers. As its full name suggests, SAMPEX was always intended to perform multiple duties and was geared toward making measurements in space of moderate to very high energy particles [see Baker et al., 1993]. A few of the key contributions made by the SAMPEX program are summarized below.