Mars Express/ASPERA-3

IRF is the Principal Investigator (PI) Institute of the plasma package Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) on-board the ESA mission Mars Express (MEX).

ASPERA-3 consists of two physical units and five sensors measuring electrons, ions and energetic neutral atoms in the energy range from 10 eV up to 40 keV.

The main scientific objective of the experiment is to study the solar wind interaction with Mars, and its effect on atmospheric evolution (the rate of atmospheric escape).After more than 18-years in orbit around Mars, ASPERA-3 operates nominally and is continuously producing unique scientific data. The Mars Express spacecraft, the first ESA mission to another planet, was launched in June 2003.

In November 2019 ESA´s Science Programme Committee (SPC) granted a mission extension until 31 December 2022. Extensions beyond that are possible since the spacecraft is in good health.

That Mars Express has operated for such a long time enables unique studies of the interaction between Mars and the solar wind during complete solar cycles. The long serie of observational data from Mars also enables statistical studies of, e.g., ion outflow.

The NASA MAVEN mission arrived at Mars in 2014, and the observations by MEX and MAVEN has complemented each other since then.Here we ask for the continuation of funding for the operation of ASPERA-3, and related tasks. The main parts of the costs is staff and project travel. This project is a continuation of SNSB grant Dnr 20/137.