BackForwardInstrument:  ACE (TRACERS) 

Instrument details
Acronym ACE (TRACERS)
Full name Analyzer for Cusp Electrons
Purpose When the orbit takes the two TRACERS spacecraft into the cusp, the ACE instruments measure the distribution of electrons and resolve the fluxes of electrons as a function of energy and direction. Electron energy range 20 – 11,500 eV.
Short description

The sensor consists of a top-hat electrostatic analyzer, with a grounded outer hemisphere and top cap concentric with an inner hemisphere biased with positive high voltages to select electrons in a series of energy ranges. 
Background

ACE has direct heritage from multiple sounding rocket experiments into the cusp, the most recent two being TRICE-2 and ACES-II
Scanning Technique

N/A
Resolution 18.7% ΔE/E FWHM
Coverage / Cycle 0.05 s per measurement cycle
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2025 to 2026
Last update: 2025-07-28
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Energetic particle spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 1
  • In-situ plasma probes, and energetic particle spectrometers and magnetometers at GEO and LEO, and magnetic field at GEO
  • Electron sensor at LEO
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Electron differential directional flux
  • Electron flux energy spectrum
  • Electron integral directional flux
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.