Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding
Faraday cup sensors and instrument housings in two configurations. On the left is the final flight hardware, with insulating thermal blankets installed; on the right is a test configuration that protects sensitive hardware for transportation. | |
| Operator | NASA |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | JHU/APL |
| Function | Plasma Sensor |
| Mission duration | Cruise: 3-6 years Science phase: ≥ 3 years |
| Host spacecraft | |
| Spacecraft | Europa Clipper |
| Operator | NASA |
| Launch date | October 14, 2024, 16:06:00 UTC (12:06 p.m. EDT) |
| Rocket | SLS |
| Launch site | Kennedy Space Center |
The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) is a Faraday cup based instrument that will fly on board the Europa Clipper orbiter to explore Jupiter's moon Europa. PIMS will measure the plasma that populates Jupiter's magnetosphere and Europa's ionosphere.
The principal investigator is Dr. Adrienn Luspay-Kuti, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).