RBSPICE: Radiation Belt Storm Probes
Ion Composition Experiment
Overview
For information on Van Allen Probes experiments:
Ion Composition Experiment
Overview
The job of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) is to determine how space weather creates the ring current formed around the Earth during solar storms, and how changes in that ring current affect the creation, acceleration, and loss of radiation belt particles.
RBSPICE is one of five instrument suites aboard the twin Van Allen Probes spacecraft, launched August 30, 2012, to study near-Earth space radiation and space weather. Originally named the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, the Van Allen Probes mission is part of NASA's Living With a Star program.
For information on Van Allen Probes experiments:
- Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma Suite (ECT)
- Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS)
- Electric Field and Waves Suite (EFW)
- Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE)
- Relativistic Proton Spectrometer (RPS)
RBSPICE-A TOTAL RUNTIME
2601
days, 10 hours,
20 minutes
Start Date:
August 30, 2012, 4:05 a.m. EDT
End Date: October 14, 2019, 2:25 p.m. EDT
End Date: October 14, 2019, 2:25 p.m. EDT
RBSPICE-B TOTAL RUNTIME
2511
days, 12 hours, 52 minutes
Start Date:
August 30, 2012, 4:05 a.m. EDT
End Date: July 16, 2019, 4:27 p.m. EDT
End Date: July 16, 2019, 4:27 p.m. EDT
QUICK FACTS
Manufacturer:
Johns Hopkins APL built and operates the twin
Van Allen Probes spacecraft
Nominal Mission Duration: 2 years
Destination: Earth's radiation belts
Orbit: Elliptical orbits transversing the radiation belts
Science Payload: 5 instrument suites conducting related experiments
Nominal Mission Duration: 2 years
Destination: Earth's radiation belts
Orbit: Elliptical orbits transversing the radiation belts
Science Payload: 5 instrument suites conducting related experiments
