| Mission type | Space weather probe |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 12UCubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Argotec |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | NET 2026 |
HENON (HEliospheric pioNeer for sOlar and interplanetary threats defeNce), is a plannedspace weather andtechnology demonstration mission by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) in the form of a 12UCubeSat.[1] It will be ESA's first stand-alone deep spaceCubeSat. The goal of the mission is to demonstratesolar storm forecasting capabilities with 3–6 hours of advance warning before a storm reachesEarth, a considerable improvement compared to the current warning time. The launch ofHENON is planned for the end of 2026.[2][3][4]
HENON is funded through the Element 3 of the ESA's General Support Technology Programme (GSTP),[5] which supports In Orbit Demonstration of new technologies. These missions combine technology demonstration with practical applications. The mission's prime contractor isArgotec inItaly[2] and its Program Manager at Argotec is Davide Monferrini.[6]
HENON'selectric propulsion system is being developed by aUK consortium led by Mars Space. A miniatureX-band space transponder and asolar array drive assembly are being developed by IMT inItaly. The spacecraft's power conditioning & distribution unit is being developed byArgotec.[2] Thexenon gas griddedion engine is similar to the one used on theBepiColombo mission toMercury, though miniaturised forCubeSat applications.[7]
The mission will demonstrate new miniaturised scientific instruments forspace weather observations including a radiation particle telescope,magnetometer, and aFaraday Cup for measuring thesolar wind properties:[2]
HENON will be launched together with another larger spacecraft to theSun-EarthLagrange point 2. Then, it will use its own electric propulsion system to fly to aDistant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) of the Sun-Earth system, an orbit similar to but more elliptical than that of the Earth. In this orbit, it will be passing upstream of Earth on the sunward side and get 10x nearer the Sun compared to a spacecraft in Lagrange point 1.[2] This orbit was invented by French astronomerMichel Hénon in 1969.HENON, named after him, will be the first ever spacecraft to use this type of orbit. The spacecraft will be 12 million km from Earth at the orbit's closest point and 24 million km away at the farthest.[6]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Future missions initalics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
