Abstract

Measurements of the magnetic field in space are a crucial element of satellite-based space weather monitoring infrastructure, both now and in the future. Knowledge of the interplanetary magnetic field is fundamental to the prediction of future geomagnetic activity, and distributed measurements of the magnetic field within the magnetosphere enable real-time knowledge of the precise magnetospheric response and associated space weather effects. Measurement of the magnetic field can be performed using hosted payloads, small-satellites, and bespoke platforms. Various trade-offs are therefore required to understand the appropriate solutions in different circumstances. In this contribution I describe recent work at Imperial College London and in the Space Magnetometer Laboratory developing novel instrumentation both for large bespoke missions such as the ESA L5 Lagrange mission, and for small-satellites such as the RADCUBE CubeSat that pave the way for the next generation of space weather constellations in magnetospheric space. Comparing and contrasting these two missions provide new insights into the challenges of developing space weather, as opposed to space science, instrumentation, leading to a more subtle distinction in the boundary between space weather and space science.