[P-CG20] Status and perspective of future missions and their instruments and technologies for space sciences

[PCG20-08] Plasma package for constellation of micro-satellite

*Tsutomu Nagatsuma², Yukihiro Takahashi¹, Tetsuro Ishida¹, Junichi Kurihara¹, Mitsuteru Sato¹, Shigeto Watanabe³ (1.Department of Cosmosciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, 2.National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 3.Hokkaido Information University)

Keywords:micro-satellite, nano-satellite, constellation, plasma instrument

Multipoint observation of space plasma is essential to distinguish spatial and temporal variations and to increase the spatial coverage. However, making satellite needs too much cost and human power so that it has not been realistic to distribute tens of the plasma sensors at different points. Such situation is drastically and rapidly changing due to the appearance of micro or nano satellites with a weight less than 100 kg, which cost only 1/100 or even 1/1000 of conventional large satellite. Adding to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., a venture company of Surrey University in UK and one of the pioneers of microsatellite, not a few institutes, universities, space agencies and private companies started entering the international race of micro-satellite development. It is not unrealistic that 100s-1000 of satellites are launched every year in a several years from now. One of the fascinating ideas to realize super multipoint measurement for space weather monitoring might be installing a standardized scientific plasma sensor package at every micro-satellite to be launched in the world as a part of the BUS instruments. Here we would like to discuss how to promote and distribute this idea internationally.