
Ziggy-PIMS Space Launch Instrumentation
University
Goals
This team presents a chance to join an exciting research group that has been selected by NASA to provide particle instruments for the next flagship mission to the icy Jovian moon Europa. It has recently been shown that Europa has more liquid water than Earth, and is the most likely location for life in the solar system after Earth. The team’s instrument will measure charged particles around Europa to determine the depth and salinity of the ocean. The team’s immediate objective is to complete a real time imaging system for diagnosing the performance of three high flux particle accelerators that will be used to test the Europa instruments and other instruments for space missions under development by the group. The particle beams produced by these accelerators are too strong for standard diagnostic equipment, so the team is working on a novel instrument for detecting and displaying the currents produced by these accelerators. The successful imaging system will be used to support several upcoming missions including our instruments for the Europa spacecraft, which will be used to confirm that there is more liquid water under the ice layer covering Europa than in all Oceans on Earth.
Desired Majors
Mechanical Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Applied Statistics
Prep
Interest in project material, willingness to develop skills