Orbit Illustration

The new constellation of magnetic survey satellites is comprised of at least four satellites: the first is in lower-latitude orbits with inclination to the equatorial plane about 40 degree and equipped with a highly stable optical bench and a high-precision fluxgate magnetometer and a high-precision scalar magnetometer; the second is also in lower-latitude orbits with inclination to the equatorial plane about 40 degree and to be launched together the first satellite, but its main objective is to monitor the solar activities and their effect on the Earth's space plasma; the third is marked by polar and strongly eccentric orbits with perigee about 200 km and apogee about 5000 km at an inclination nearly 90 degree, equipped with an optical bench and a fluxgate magnetometer and a scalar magnetometer, and is in the stage of planning; and the fourth is also marked by polar and strongly eccentric orbits with perigee about 200 km and apogee about 5000 km at an inclination nearly 90 degree but with different longitudes, equipped with an optical bench, a fluxgate magnetometer and a scalar magnetometer, and expects to be lunched together with the third satellite. It is anticipated that the new constellation will be able to provide, compared to the ESA's Swarm mission, higher-precision, higher-resolution, higher-dimension measurements of the Earth's magnetic field required to study various aspects of the geomagnetism and the Earth's space.