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Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)
The purpose of this project is to advance the Faraday Effect Tracker of Coronal and Heliospheric structures (FETCH) instrument. FETCH will be the first instrument to transmit and receive spacecraft signals in the interplanetary medium and hence has the potential to measure the magnetic content of the inner heliospheric structures. This project involves the following tasks: (i) breadboard the FETCH instrument using COTS parts to transmit a linearly polarized signal and evaluate the detection limits of a dual polarization receiver, (ii) maximize the signal-to-noise ratio via optimal radio signal waveform design, filter configuration and signal processing algorithm, and (iii) simulate the antenna beam pattern and investigate how it is affected by different spacecraft environment and hence finalize the antenna requirements.
FETCH has been included as a new instrument in the remote-sensing package of the Multiview Observatory for Solar Terrestrial Science (MOST) mission concept that will serve a vast majority of the heliophysicists. If implemented, MOST will form a significant part of the Heliophysics System Observatory.
FETCH will create new opportunities that can bring significant funding to GSFC via different avenues such as Technology Demonstration, Explorer, and SALMON opportunities.
FETCH as a new capability to make routine measurement of the magnetic field of heliospheric structures, such as coronal mass ejections, corotating interaction regions, and even the solar wind will be important for NOAA in space weather prediction beyond what is possible from Sun-Earth L1 observations
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