RBSPICE Instrument
Each RBSPICE instrument (one on each of two satellites) is a time-of-flight versus energy spectrometer. The spectrometer measures medium energy protons, electrons, and ions (H+, He+, and O+) as functions of energy and angle, as well as measurements of electrons, to be used for diagnostic purposes. Spacecraft rotation permits sampling over the full 160o range of look directions in three dimensions.
This data helps determine how space weather creates the storm-time ring current around Earth, how that ring current supplies and supports the creation of the radiation belt populations, and how it can also quickly reduce radiation belt particle intensities.
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
