The HelioSwarm mission consists of a “hub” satellite and eight co-orbiting “node” microsatellites, designed to acquire magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and sub-ion measurements in the heliosphere.
Key information
| Mission | Measure plasma in the heliosphere |
| Domain | Science |
| Start date | Launch planned in 2030 |
| Partners | NASA, UKSA, INSU-CNRS, INSIS-CNRS, OBSPM-PSL, OASU, OSUC, OMP, LAB, IRAP, LPP, LPC2E, University of New Hampshire, Aerospace Corporation, SwRI, SAO, UCB, Draper, MSSL, Imperial College |
| Where | Resonant lunar orbit |
| Timeline | 18-month primary mission with likely extensions |
| Status | In development |
Key figures
-
9
satellites
-
50
to 3,000 km: distance between satellites
-
36
pairs and 126 tetrahedral configurations
-
4
French research laboratories and 2 institutes directly involved
Key milestones
- 2032: End of mission
- 2030: Planned mission launch
- 2028: Delivery of flight models
- 2026-2027: Delivery of engineering models
- 2025: Transition to phase B2
- 2023: Transition to phase B1
- July 2021: Transition to phase A
- 10 February 2020: NASA selects mission for its MIDEX (Medium-Class Explorer) programme
Project in brief
HelioSwarm was selected for NASA’s MIDEX (Medium-Class Explorer) programme in 2020, along with MUSE (Multi-slit Solar Explorer). The mission aims to gain deeper insights into and better model the dynamics of turbulence and plasma in the heliosphere, as well as Sun-Earth connections.
HelioSwarm comprises nine satellites: a main “hub” satellite weighing approximately one tonne and eight co-orbiting “node” microsatellites each weighing about 100 kilograms. The ability to acquire measurements simultaneously with two to four satellites—36 pairs and 126 tetrahedra—will afford high temporal and spatial resolution in three dimensions, notably of the distribution of solar wind turbulence. Such a variety of configurations will enable scientists to precisely study fluctuations in the magnetic field and in plasma in the heliosphere at different scales.
The nine satellites will make it possible to analyse correlations between measurements acquired by 36 different pairs, as well as 126 non-ideal tetrahedral configurations (as against six pairs and one tetrahedron with missions flying only four satellites). The hub satellite will maintain radio contact with each microsatellite, receive their data and relay them to ground.
CNES’s role
Four French research laboratories and two research institutes are directly involved in the HelioSwarm mission through CNES, which is overseeing their contribution and coordinating with NASA. CNES is providing expertise to the IRAP astrophysics and planetology research institute and LAB astrophysics laboratory in Bordeaux for development of the Ion Electrostatic Analyser (iESA), and to the LPP plasma physics laboratory and LPC2E environmental and space physics and chemistry laboratory for the nine Search Coil Magnetometers (SCM). These French instruments make up half of the mission’s science payload.
Some of iESA’s subsystems are inherited from instruments for which IRAP was prime contractor on other missions, including Solar Orbiter, STEREO, MAVEN and Cluster.
The SCM is largely based on that developed by LPP for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) JUICE mission, also built on the heritage of Solar Orbiter.
The SCM developed for HelioSwarm is the result of French industry’s world-renowned expertise in this domain.
Contacts
Project leader
Cécile Fiachetti
E-mail: cecile.fiachetti at cnes.fr
CNES Sun, Heliosphere, Magnetospheres (SHM) subject matter expert
Kader Amsif
E-mail: kader.amsif at cnes.fr