Fluxgate Magnetometers for Space Research - Paperback

Professional Technical Reference on Space Fluxgate Magnetometers

This technical reference documents decades of fluxgate magnetometer development and application in space research missions. Based on the foundational theory of H. Aschenbrenner and G. Goubau (1936) and F. Förster's early designs, this book compiles critical knowledge from the international space magnetometer community.

Historical Space Mission Applications

Fluxgate magnetometers have been instrumental in magnetic field measurements across major space exploration programs. Early implementations include Sputnik 3 (Dolginov, 1958), Mariner 4 (NASA, 1964), and Germany's first satellite AZUR (Musmann, 1969). These instruments enabled magnetic field studies of Earth, Moon, Venus, Mars, and other planetary bodies. Recent missions utilizing fluxgate magnetometer technology include NASA/ESA's CASSINI (1998), ESA's Rosetta (2004), and NASA's Deep Space One ion engine spacecraft (Musmann/Kuhnke, 1998). Precise Earth magnetic field measurements have been achieved through combined fluxgate and scalar magnetometer systems on MAGSAT (Acuna, 1979), OERSTED (Primdahl, 1999), and CHAMP (Lühr, 2000).

Technical Content and Documentation

This reference addresses the limited published material on fluxgate magnetometer theory, design methodology, calibration procedures, and reliable magnetic field component measurements in space environments. The worldwide space fluxgate magnetometer community collaborated to preserve essential technical knowledge and practical experience before retirement of key contributors.

Editor Background

Edited by Günter Musmann, born 1938 in Salzgitter-Bad, who studied Physics in Göttingen and Braunschweig (PhD 1968). His 1964 fluxgate magnetometer experiment flew on Germany's first satellite AZUR (launched 1968). Subsequent collaborations with colleagues from Germany, Russia, USA, UK, France, Italy, and Denmark produced numerous fluxgate magnetometer experiments for missions including DIAL, Helios A+B, GIOTTO, MARS94/96, CLUSTER, Tether 1+2, Deep Space One, Cassini to Saturn, and Rosetta (arrival at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014). Additional work includes rocket magnetic field experiments into Equatorial and Polar Electrojet regions and geothermal research projects.

Target Audience

This technical reference serves researchers, engineers, and professionals involved in space instrumentation development, satellite magnetometry, planetary science missions, and magnetic field measurement systems. The paperback format provides accessible documentation of specialized knowledge accumulated across decades of space exploration programs.