IMAGE - Definition

The Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE or Explorer 78) is a NASA MIDEX mission that is studying the global response of the Earth's magnetosphere to changes in the solar wind. It was launched March 3, 2000 by a Delta II from Vandenberg AFB.

It is in orbit 1000 km by 46,000 km orbit around the Earth, with an inclination of 90° (so it passes over the poles) and a 14.5 hour period. IMAGE is the first spacecraft dedicated to observing the magnetosphere of Earth and produces comprehensive global images of plasma in the inner magnetosphere. It does this using five instruments

• Neutral Atom Imagers (LENA, MENA, HENA)
• Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) Imaging System
• Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imager
• Radio Plasma Imager (RPI)
• Central Instrument Data Processor (CIDP)

External links

• IMAGE NASA page (http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/)
• Southwest Research Institute (http://pluto.space.swri.edu/IMAGE/)
• IMAGE (http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=2000-017A)