COmposition and Dynamics EXperiment in the topside ionosphere (CODEX)

COmposition and Dynamics EXperiment (CODEX) responds to NASA’s H-FORT program and deciphers crucial ion dynamics to reveal how the magnetospheric drivers propagate to low altitude. Specifically, CODEX measures ion composition, mass-dependent bulk flow and upflow structures and heating mechanisms associated with ionospheric fast flow channels (FFCs) in concert with ground based incoherent scatter radars (ISRs) and all sky imagers (ASIs). FFCs fundamentally control complex processes and coupling in the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Magnetosphere system through energy dissipation, heating, and ion escape. Nevertheless, essential observations to understand their causes and effects are severely lacking. Two science goals are addressed by the CODEX mission in FFC: (SG1) Identify mass-resolved bulk properties in FFCs, and (SG2) Discover non-thermal distribution functions associated with FFCs. CODEX also addresses two clearly identified technology demonstration objectives (TDOs) whose successful implementations would be highly meritorious for future Heliophysics missions. CODEX measures 3-d velocity distribution functions (VDF) of major ionospheric ions (H+, He+, O+, and heavy ions) using an innovative and compact ion instrument (Three-Dimensional Ion velocity and mass spectrometer, 3DI). A boom-mounted miniature magnetometer (Magneto-Inductive Magnetometer, MIM) determines the local magnetic field and field aligned currents (FAC), and two Langmuir probes (Langmuir Probe & Spacecraft Potential, LPSP) measure the local electron temperature and density as well as the spacecraft (S/C) potential. These high-quality observations enable the discovery and quantification of the underlying physical processes responsible for mass-dependent ion heating and energy transfer in FFCs. Mass-resolved ion 3-d VDF observations are extremely rare in the topside ionosphere; only a limited amount of satellite and sounding rocket data exists, since past and currently existing instruments have technical difficulty resolving the ion properties sufficiently. In addition to the in-situ observations, ground based ISRs and ASIs clearly address the ambient plasma conditions, flows, boundaries, and optical phenomena during conjunction events. CODEX flies in a sun-synchronous near noon-midnight orbit with 450-600 km altitude, targeting the cusp, auroral, and subauroral regions where FFCs are found frequently. The CODEX bus consists of a 6U structure designed for Canisterized Satellite Dispenser system from Planetary System Corporation. It is a 3-axis stabilized ram-pointing S/C with deployable solar arrays. The solar arrays are gimballed to maximize power generation. Nominal operation duration of the CODEX mission is 12 months to cover at least two solstices and two equinoxes to investigate seasonal dependences. Significant systems engineering analyses were performed already for thermal, structure, communications, attitude control, and power. Communication is achieved via an X/SBand transceiver, enabling high data throughput using the Near-Earth Network (NEN). The CODEX CubeSat is based on the design of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)-led 6U CubeSat to study Solar Particles, CuSP (NNX15AJ94G), under development at SwRI to launch in 2021, and draws heritage from the University of Michigan (UM)-led, SwRI-built Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) 8-microsat constellation mission, Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), launched in November 2016. The CODEX science goals meet two of the Heliophysics science goals for NASA Science Plan 2014 and two key science goals in the 2012 Heliophysics Decadal survey.

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