Science Preparations for Bepi Colombo
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
The BepiColombo mission is an ESA/JAXA dual spacecraft mission to Mercury. The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer instrument has been designed and built at the University of Leicester with multiple international partners contributing. Once BepiColombo is in orbit at mercury, MIXS will be used to observe the surface of the planet from the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (the ESA spacecraft) in order to determine the surface composition in unprecedented detail. In addition, MIXS will contribute to the study of the complex interaction between the magnetosphere and the surface.
The objectives of this research is to enhance the science return from the BepiColombo mission, on which there is a UK-led instrument, the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS).
The proposed funding will contribute to various science-related activities including: data analysis studies using existing data sets, enhancing our public outreach capabilities, and provide support for the UK MIXS team to travel to BepiColombo Science Working Team meetings.
These objectives will serve to maximise the science return from the only UK-led instrument on the payload.
The objectives of this research is to enhance the science return from the BepiColombo mission, on which there is a UK-led instrument, the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS).
The proposed funding will contribute to various science-related activities including: data analysis studies using existing data sets, enhancing our public outreach capabilities, and provide support for the UK MIXS team to travel to BepiColombo Science Working Team meetings.
These objectives will serve to maximise the science return from the only UK-led instrument on the payload.
Planned Impact
The study of the planet Mercury through the BepiColombo mission and the MIXS instrument will further the understanding of the formation and evolution of planets within our solar system. Public interest in new science from such observations (in this case, the least visited of the solar planets) is strong.
We anticipate significant media and public interest in the mission at launch and beyond, and the ongoing discussion around the mission and the eventual data will have applications in education and through organisations such as the National Space Centre in Leicester and the Science Museum in London.
The science community benefit from the new data which allow fundamental theoretical ideas about the solar system to be tested and amended.
The development of MIXS has led to entirely novel hardware with applications outside of planetary science and has built expertise in the design of instrumentation using lightweight X-ray optics. Industry has benefited from the joint development of technology between the University and SMEs and the associated transfer of skills.
The project has involved a number of companies to develop or enhance technical capability, or to become involved in the space industry for the first time.
We anticipate significant media and public interest in the mission at launch and beyond, and the ongoing discussion around the mission and the eventual data will have applications in education and through organisations such as the National Space Centre in Leicester and the Science Museum in London.
The science community benefit from the new data which allow fundamental theoretical ideas about the solar system to be tested and amended.
The development of MIXS has led to entirely novel hardware with applications outside of planetary science and has built expertise in the design of instrumentation using lightweight X-ray optics. Industry has benefited from the joint development of technology between the University and SMEs and the associated transfer of skills.
The project has involved a number of companies to develop or enhance technical capability, or to become involved in the space industry for the first time.
Organisations
- University of Leicester (Lead Research Organisation)
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- Curtin University (Collaboration)
- Magna Parva (Collaboration)
- Finnish Meteorological Institute (Collaboration)
- ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Birkbeck, University of London (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- Max Planck Society (Collaboration)
- Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (Collaboration)
- Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (Collaboration)
- The Open University (Collaboration)
- CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Carnegie Institution for Science (CIS) (Collaboration)
- Astrobiology Center (CAB) (Collaboration)
- Petroc (Collaboration)
- University of Helsinki (Collaboration)
- Oxford Instruments (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- University of Münster (Collaboration)
- Aalto University (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Emma Bunce (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Benkhoff J
(2021)
BepiColombo - Mission Overview and Science Goals
in Space Science Reviews
Bunce E
(2020)
The BepiColombo Mercury Imaging X-Ray Spectrometer: Science Goals, Instrument Performance and Operations
in Space Science Reviews
Huovelin J
(2020)
Solar Intensity X-Ray and Particle Spectrometer SIXS: Instrument Design and First Results
in Space Science Reviews
James M
(2020)
A Machine Learning Approach to Classifying MESSENGER FIPS Proton Spectra
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
James M
(2019)
Field Line Resonance in the Hermean Magnetosphere: Structure and Implications for Plasma Distribution
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Lindsay S
(2022)
MESSENGER X-Ray Observations of Electron Precipitation on the Dayside of Mercury
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Milillo A
(2020)
Investigating Mercury's Environment with the Two-Spacecraft BepiColombo Mission
in Space Science Reviews
Rothery D
(2020)
Rationale for BepiColombo Studies of Mercury's Surface and Composition
in Space Science Reviews
| Description | The objectives for the grant were to prepare for the science activities of BepiColombo and specifically on the UK instrument Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer -we have done this through science support for staff to allow completion of key publications -we have done this through public outreach (e.g. Royal Society Summer Exhibition) -we have done this through using the funds to create a full-scale model of the instrument for outreach and media interviews |
| Exploitation Route | As science preparation for the BepiColombo mission, this work lays some of the groundwork for our science activities that will follow over the next few years as the spacecraft arrives at Mercury and begins the science phase of the mission. |
| Sectors | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | -we have created a full-scale model of the MIXS instrument which we have used at public outreach events, and which is used when discussing our work on BepiColombo with the media |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - Finland |
| Organisation | Cranfield University |
| Department | Space Systems |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | part of the MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | Finnish collarborators have provided the data processing unit and on board software for the MIXS instrument as part of the international hardware project |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - Finland |
| Organisation | Finnish Meteorological Institute |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | part of the MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | Finnish collarborators have provided the data processing unit and on board software for the MIXS instrument as part of the international hardware project |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - Finland |
| Organisation | Oxford Instruments |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | part of the MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | Finnish collarborators have provided the data processing unit and on board software for the MIXS instrument as part of the international hardware project |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - Finland |
| Organisation | Petroc |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | part of the MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | Finnish collarborators have provided the data processing unit and on board software for the MIXS instrument as part of the international hardware project |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - Finland |
| Organisation | University of Helsinki |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | part of the MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | Finnish collarborators have provided the data processing unit and on board software for the MIXS instrument as part of the international hardware project |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - MPS |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | part of MIXS hardware team |
| Collaborator Contribution | provision of detectors for MIXS instrument |
| Impact | it has resulted in a joint international instrument (Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer) for the BepiColombo mission |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Hardware Consortium - UK |
| Organisation | Magna Parva |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have previously collaborated on the MIXS hardware project |
| Collaborator Contribution | carbon fibre tubing for the MIXS-T and -C telescopes |
| Impact | - |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Aalto University |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Aberystwyth University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Astrobiology Center (CAB) |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Birkbeck, University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Carnegie Institution for Science (CIS) |
| Department | Observatories of the Carnegie Institution Washington |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Curtin University |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Harvard University |
| Department | Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Department | Imperial College Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Open University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | University of Helsinki |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Bepi - MIXS Science Team - All |
| Organisation | University of Münster |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We lead the international science team for the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
| Collaborator Contribution | The science team will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the data analysis from the MIXS instrument in orbit of Mercury |
| Impact | the team will build the science traceability matrix for the instrument and a science operations plan which will lead to publications in the published literature |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Creation of a full scale model of the MIXS instrument on BepiColombo |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Having made our full scale model it has featured on Sky News and the BBC Sky at Night programme on BepiColombo. We have shown our model at undergraduate open days, and at University wide events such as talks for the College of Science and Engineering undergrad and post grad students. It has been used as a show and tell at multiple formal visits to the University, including Secretary of State, MPs, and the Royal Visit. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Royal Society Summer Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We developed and exhibited a stand at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition in London during July 2019. The Bepi team supported the event and we had over 30 participants from Leicester (University and National Space Centre), from our CoI institutions, and from the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo project in attendance. The team developed a stand including a full-scale model of the MIXS instrument, led by Leicester, and on the BepiColobmo science payload. We also developed an interactive touch screen with outreach materials relating to the mission, the Sun, the planet Mercury and more. We included a hands-on event using a solar telescope which was popular with visiting school children. Our software engineer wrote a computer game which involved learning how the optics in our instrument work - this was very popular in getting young people to come and engage with our stand. We took undergraduate laboratory X-ray diffraction equipment and were able to demonstrate and get people to use themselves to find out the composition of some everyday objects including coins and wedding rings. This was the lab version of the MIXS instrument in space, and provided a very useful way to explain to the public what our instrument would do at Mercury. ~15k people came through the exhibition during this one week! We employed two undergraduate students who helped us develop the materials and explained the science brilliantly to the public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2019/summer-science-exhibition/ |