BackForward Satellite Programme: Interstellar Boundary Explorer 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Single satellite programme, addressing the region between the solar system and the interstellar space.
  • USA programme: NASA responsible of development and operations in collaboration with several institutes, the main beeing the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas.
  • The satellite exploits spin stabilisation.
  • The design lifetime is 2 years.
  • Highly elliptical orbit, with apogee approaching the Moon; low inclination.
  • See detailed description at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ibex/index.html
Data circulation
  • Onboard stored data downlinked to stations of the NASA network and collaborating.  Mission Control Center at Orbital Science Corporation, Dulles Virginia.
  • Science Operations Centers at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, and the Boston University, Massachusetts.
Agencies NASA
Programme lifetime 2008 - 2023
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned

  • Interstellar Boundary Explorer