Researchers from the University of Leicester, UK, have showcased an innovative space instrument at the Farnborough Airshow to help provide the most complete exploration and study of the planet Mercury to date.
The Mercury Imaging X-ray spectrometer (MIXS) instrument is the first imaging X-ray instrument to visit another planetary body.
It will observe the surface of Mercury from the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter, which is scheduled to launch in October 2018, in order to determine the surface composition and the complex interaction between Mercury and its environment.
University of Leicester roles in the BepiColombo mission include Principal Investigator, development, production and calibration of the MIXS optics, calibration of focal plane detector, construction and testing of the MIXS instrument and flight data analysis.
At Farnborough, the team displayed the research behind a ¼ scale 3D print of the MIXS instrument and spoke to members of the public about the importance of understanding the planets in our Solar System – and how we can apply this knowledge to our own planet.
Going further
BepiColombo is Europe's first mission to Mercury. It will set off in 2018 on a journey to the smallest and least explored terrestrial planet in our Solar System. When it arrives at Mercury in late 2025, it will endure temperatures in excess of 350 °C and gather data during its 1 year nominal mission, with a possible 1-year extension.
By measuring fluorescent X-rays from the surface, MIXS (Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer) will provide a detailed analysis of the surface elemental composition of Mercury to aid our understanding of the planet’s evolution and formation processes. The MIXS data set will also provide information on surface-exosphere-magnetosphere interactions.
Professor Emma Bunce, University of Leicester Principal Investigator on the BepiColombo mission, said: “This is a very exciting time for us at the University of Leicester, as we wait for the launch of the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft to Mercury. This spacecraft carries our Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) with it as part of its scientific payload. The data from our instrument and from the wider payload will revolutionise our understanding of Mercury.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Farnborough Airshow by the University of Leicester, the Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) and the National Space Centre to formally mark the start of the collaborative links with the region of Piemonte in Italy and the Polytechnic University of Turin.
The MoU represents a milestone for Space Park Leicester, an ambitious initiative to develop a global hub and collaborative community based on space and space-enabled technologies and boost the regional visibility of space within the East Midlands.