Operator | NASA |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Instrument type | Magnetometer |
Function | internal planetary characterization and exosphere activity |
Mission duration | Cruise: 3-6 years Science phase: ≥ 3 years |
Host spacecraft | |
Spacecraft | Europa Clipper |
Operator | NASA |
Launch date | ≈ 2025 (instrument cancelled)[1] |
Rocket | SLS |
Launch site | Kennedy Space Center |
The Interior Characterization of Europa using Magnetometry (ICEMAG) is a multi-frequency magnetometer that was proposed to be flown on board the Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, but its inclusion was cancelled in March 2019.[1] Magnetic induction is a powerful tool for probing the subsurface and determine Europa's ocean depth, salinity, and ice shell thickness, as well as detecting erupting plume activity.
The Principal Investigator is Carol Raymond, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[2]
On March 5, 2019, NASA's Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen, announced that ICEMAG would no longer be part of the Europa Clipper mission, primarily citing recurring cost increases (over three times the original cost put forward in the proposal).[3] A less complex magnetometer will be included on the mission.[3]