Abstract
The Sprint-A satellite with the EUV spectrometer (Extreme Ultraviolet Spectroscope for Exospheric Dynamics: EXCEED) was launched in September 2013 by the Epsilon rocket. Now it is orbiting around the Earth (954.05 km×1156.87 km orbit; the period is 104 minutes) and one has started a broad and varied observation program. With an effective area of more than 1 cm2 and well-calibrated sensitivity in space, the EUV spectrometer will produce spectral images (520–1480 Å) of the atmospheres/magnetospheres of several planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) from the Earth’s orbit. At the first day of the observation, EUV emissions from the Io plasma torus (mainly sulfur ions) and aurora (H2 Lyman and Werner bands) of Jupiter have been identified. Continuous 3-month measurement for Io’s plasma torus and aurora is planned to witness the sporadic and sudden brightening events occurring on one or both regions. For Venus, the Fourth Positive (A1 Π-X1 Σ +) system of CO and some yet known emissions of the atmosphere were identified even though the exposure was short (8-min). Long-term exposure from April to June (for approximately 2 months) will visualize the Venusian ionosphere and tail in the EUV spectral range. Saturn and Mars are the next targets.
Highlights
Mission BackgroundJapanese intensive exploration of space began with the launch of the first Earth-orbiting spacecraft, OHSUMI
Our EXCEED mission (EXtreme ultraviolet speCtroscope for ExosphEric Dynamics) was one of the proposals and was selected as the first program in 2007. It was based on our technological advances in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range during the past two decades (e.g. Yoshikawa et al 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010b; Murakami et al 2013; Yoshioka et al 2012; Chassefière et al 2010)
Spectroscopic imaging in the EUV spectral range, which cannot be performed on the ground, allows us to collect information on the planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres
Summary
Japanese intensive exploration of space began with the launch of the first Earth-orbiting spacecraft, OHSUMI. It had a mass of only 24 kg, and today this spacecraft might be classified as a micro-satellite. Our EXCEED mission (EXtreme ultraviolet speCtroscope for ExosphEric Dynamics) was one of the proposals and was selected as the first program in 2007 It was based on our technological advances in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range during the past two decades (e.g. Yoshikawa et al 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010b; Murakami et al 2013; Yoshioka et al 2012; Chassefière et al 2010). Spectroscopic imaging in the EUV spectral range, which cannot be performed on the ground, allows us to collect information on the planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres. We present the instrument specifications with inflight calibration and the initial results of the observations
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