CuSPP Spacecraft

Demonstrate a novel miniaturized Suprathermal Ion Sensor to measure solar energetic particles.

Carrying a novel miniaturized Suprathermal Ion Sensor (SIS) developed at SwRI. The SIS will measure the sources and acceleration mechanisms of solar energetic particles that are harmful to astronauts as well as Earth-based technologies.

CuSPP can also be used to support space weather research by measuring particles that escape ahead of powerful shock waves in the solar wind. Upon striking the Earth, solar particles and shock waves can cause severe electromagnetic storms, damage satellites, disrupt radio communication and navigation signals, damage electric power grids and corrode pipelines. In addition,

CuSPP is designed to measure the properties of ion populations entering the ionosphere, the uppermost portion of the Earth’s atmosphere. Study Solar Particles over the Earth’s Poles (CuSPP) mission is space weather mission that will study the sources and acceleration mechanisms of solar and interplanetary particles near-Earth orbit. It will study magnetospheric ion precipitation in the high-latitude ionosphere. It will increase the technology readiness level of a supra-thermal ion spectrograph concept so that it may fly with reduced risk and cost on future heliophysics missions.