Publication Date:
2011-08-19
Description:
The objectives of the Giotto magnetometer experiment are the investigation of the interaction between Comet Halley and the solar wind 0.9 AU from the Sun, to within 500 km of the cometary nucleus, and the study of the interplanetary magnetic field. The instrumentation consists of a triaxial and a separate biaxial system of fluxgate sensors of the ring-core type, the associated analog electronics and a digital processor. The measuring ranges of + or 1 16 up to + or - 65536 nT are digitized by a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter. Memory modes allow the bridging of gaps in telemetry coverage of up to 10 days. Because of the dust hazard near closest approach, a magnetometer boom could not be included in the spacecraft design. The magnetic contamination problem was attacked by the use of two magnetometers and by a magnetic-cleanliness program. In-flight results show that the instrument is working flawlessly, though magnetic-contamination problems remain.
Keywords:
ASTRONAUTICS (GENERAL)
Type:
ESA The Giotto Mission: Its Scientific Investigations; p 1-14
Format:
text
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