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The Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) aboard the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is a quadrupole mass spectrometer-based experiment. Making use of the highly elliptical and low inclination (~150°) orbit of MOM, MENCA will conduct in situ measurements of the composition and radial distribution of the Martian neutral exosphere in the 1–300 amu mass range in the equatorial and low latitudes of Mars. The functionality of MENCA has been tested during the Earth-bound and heliocentric phases of MOM before its operation in the Martian orbit. This article describes the scientific objectives, instrument details, design and development, test and evaluation, and calibration of the MENCA instrument.

Keywords

Exosphere, Mars Orbiter, mass spectrometer, thermal escape.

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Chandra’s Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 Onboard Chandrayaan-2 to Study the Lunar Neutral Exosphere

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Authors

Tirtha Pratim Das ¹, Smitha V. Thampi ², M. B. Dhanya ², Neha Naik ², P. Sreelatha ², P. Pradeepkumar ², G. Padma Padmanabhan ², B. Sundar ², Dinakar Prasad Vajja ², Amarnath Nandi ², R. Satheesh Thampi ², Vipin K. Yadav ², J. K. Abhishek ², Md. Nazeer ², P. T. Lali ², Rosmy John ², A. V. Aliyas ², Vijay Kumar Sen ², M. Ramprabhu ², A. Ajay Krishna ²

Affiliations
1 Directorate of Technology Development and Innovation, Department of Space, ISRO Headquarters, Antariksh Bhavan, New BEL Road, Bengaluru 560 094, IN
2 Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, IN

Source

Current Science, Vol 118, No 2 (2020), Pagination: 202-209

Abstract

The CHandra’s Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 (CHACE-2) experiment aboard Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will study in situ, the composition of the lunar neutral exosphere in the mass range 1–300 amu with mass resolution of 0.5 amu. It will address the spatial and temporal variations of the lunar exosphere, and examine water vapour as well as heavier species in it. In this article, results of the major characterization and calibration experiments of CHACE-2 are presented, with an outline of the qualification tests for both the payload and ground segment.

Keywords

CHACE-2, Chandrayaan-2, Exosphere, Mass Spectrometer.

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