Adaption of Magnetic Cleanliness Facilities and Procedures to Overcome the New Challenges of the Scientific Missions

Abstract

Scientific goals in magnetometry require extremely high resolution magnetometers, a very good program of magnetic cleanliness and a powerful processing methodology. When magnetic cleanliness reaches its limits the exhaustive characterisation of the magnetic signature of the different subsystems together with compensation systems (HW) and algorithms (SW) may be the only way to achieve the performance demanded by the scientific objectives. Furthermore, exploration horizons, only within the limits of our Solar System, present scientific challenges in harsh conditions which comprise, among others, extreme swings of temperature. The magnetic properties of materials depend on temperature and the electrical resistance of wires and coils too. Therefore in wide temperature ranges the behaviour of the magnetic signature with temperature needs to be analysed, minimized when possible, and introduced in the retrieval algorithms for an optimal response. The requirements for the subsystems are present in their testing route documentation. However there are not standards or norms with the established procedures to develop these tests. In this work the INTA Space Magnetism Laboratory will overview different methodologies implemented for standard tests, will introduce some of the upcoming and challenging requirements and will present some of the solutions implemented.