Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, Submilimeter wave Instrument: Status and performances of the 1200 GHz high spectral resolution receiver front end

Abstract

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is a mission chosen in the framework of the Cosmic Vision 20152025 program of the Science and Robotic Exploration Directorate of the European Space Agency. The Sub-millimeter Wave Instrument (SWI) is a spectrometer/radiometer instrument operating in two Sub-millimeter channels between 530 – 625 GHz and 1080 – 1275 GHz to study the dynamics of Jupiter’s stratosphere, vertical profiles of wind speed, temperature, composition and structure of exospheres of Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. LERMA is responsible for the delivery of critical sub-systems of the two channel frontends, including its 1200GHz mixer and last frequency stage local oscillator. In this paper will describe the SWI radiometer front-end system and address the different procurement steps of the flight hardware. We will present some of the test structures used, the tests conditions as well as some of the failure criterias and allowable drifts.