Small scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment
SNIPE (Small scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment)is going to launch in 2020 into a polar orbit at an altitude of 500 km with an orbital high-inclination of (97.7°). The scientific goal of SNIPE is to identify temporal and spatial variations of small-scale plasma structures in ionosphere and magnetosphere. SNIPE consists of four 6U-nanosatellites (~10 kg for each spacecraft). This constellation is a formation flying, and slowly separated from 10 km to 100 km for six months. The spacecraft design lifetime is at least greater than 1 year (Science operation time: 6 months). The SNIPE mission is equipped with scientific payloads which can measure the following geophysical parameters: density/temperature of cold ionospheric electrons, energetic (~100 keV) electron flux, and magnetic field vectors. All the payloads will have high temporal resolution (better sampling rates than 10 Hz).