AERO Spacecraft

Terrestrial auroral science and radio interferometric
technology demonstration.

Scientific investigation mission in polar orbit that will qualify and validate a novel electromagnetic Vector Sensor while answering key scientific questions about the nature and sources of auroral radio emissions. These questions cannot be addressed from the ground due to shielding by the ionosphere. Earth’s aurora has a complexity and richness in both energetics and spatial/temporal structure that is of intense interest for our understanding of space physics.

Terrestrial auroral science and radio interferometric technology demonstration. The AERO and VISTA CubeSats both host vector sensing antenna systems providing advanced electromagnetic capabilities. Together, they will provide the first in-space demonstration of interferometric imaging, beamforming, and nulling using electromagnetic vector sensors at low frequencies (100 kHz – 15 MHz).

A key goal of the joint missions’ technology demonstration is to validate theoretical sensor performance modeling indicating that interferometric arrays composed of vector sensors will be able to maintain sensitivity even in the presence of terrestrial interference. If validated in flight, this capability would relax the requirement that space-based low frequency interferometers be placed far from the Earth (e.g. lunar orbit), and the closer communications range will significantly increase the data volume returned from space-based radio telescope systems.

AERO’s science objectives are:

1. Characterize auroral radio emissions in the ionosphere;
2. Connect radio emissions to overall auroral geospace system; and
3. Demonstrate polarimetric HF radio detection with a vector sensor.

The VISTA CubeSat bus will be procured and integrated by Morehead State University (MSU). The VS payload will be developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL) and integrated by MIT Haystack Observatory (MIT-HO).

• PLATFORM - NanoAvionics