ACE/MAG Project Instrument Photographs

The MAG Instrument consists of nine electronics boards inside an electronics box, all mounted on the spacecraft top deck, and two sensors placed at the end of oppositely placed booms. The electronics box is mounted nearly dead center on the top deck of the spacecraft platform which is, in turn, covered by a thermal blanket to help regulate the temperature of the spacecraft. The top deck of the spacecraft faces the sun.

• Photograph of an analog board - drives the sensors
• Photograph of a digital board - contains a processor with memory
• Overall view of the Electronics box - with front panel removed to show the inside boards
• Overall view of the MAG instrument - along with a single sensor
  (with its cover removed)
• Picture of a sensor - with a transparent cover

    

Integration of the ACE spacecraft with the solar panels provides a clear indication of the size of the spacecraft. The booms which hold the sensors of the magnetometer instrument away from the body of the spacececraft are seen folded across the top of two solar panels. The magnetometer's electronics box is mounted in the center of the top deck, under the gold-colored thermal blanket.

When deployed, the magnetometer booms hold the sensors 4.3 meters from the center of the ACE spacecraft.