Researchers from the HUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science (HUN-REN FI), working in cooperation with experts from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), are playing a significant role in preparing one of the European Space Agency’s flagship scientific missions, the Plasma Observatory (PMO), the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network announced.

The project’s scientific goal is to achieve the most detailed mapping of space weather to date and to better understand the processes that lead to the formation of intense geomagnetic storms.

The Plasma Observatory mission will focus on the interplanetary medium and the plasma environment surrounding Earth, a dynamic system of ionized particles that shapes space weather. The mission will deploy seven identical satellites flying in formation, enabling measurements that have not previously been possible.

Planned investigations include particle acceleration processes occurring during interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, mechanisms of energy transfer, and space weather phenomena that can pose risks to satellites, communication systems, and power grids.

As the only Hungarian participant in the PMO international consortium, the Hungarian team is responsible for a key component of the mission’s instrument system. The onboard IMCA (Ion and Magnetic/Plasma Characterization Analyzer) instrument will study charged particles and magnetic–plasma interactions in detail. Its low-voltage power supply (LVPS) is being jointly developed by HUN-REN FI and BME. This component is critical for the stable and precise operation of the instrument and is planned to be installed on all seven satellites.

The project is currently in Phase A, the detailed system design stage, during which the scientific and technical concepts of the mission are refined, risks are assessed, and instrument configurations are finalized. Hungarian participation is supported through ESA’s PRODEX programme. Final approval of the PMO mission is expected in 2026, with launch planned for the late 2030s.

Árpád Kis, senior research fellow at HUN-REN FI, head of the Space Research and Space Technology unit, and lead co-investigator of the instrument, said the team is working at an intensive pace, holding frequent consultations with international partners. The objective is to reach a level of readiness by the 2026 Mission Selection Review that allows PMO to be chosen from among three candidate missions. He highlighted the key role of BME engineers, led by József Szabó, who are responsible for designing, testing, and building the LVPS system for the PMO satellites.

Researchers at HUN-REN FI emphasized that participation in preparing the PMO mission is in itself a major professional recognition, demonstrating that Hungarian researchers and engineers possess expertise competitive at the highest level of European space research. Scientific aspects of the mission are also supported by István Lemperger, head of the Geomagnetism and Geoelectricity Research Group at HUN-REN FI.

According to the researchers, involvement in PMO strengthens the international visibility of Hungarian research institutions and universities, advances space engineering expertise, boosts innovation capacity, and in the long term contributes to the competitiveness of Hungary’s space industry, while also fostering new collaborations and inspiring young researchers, engineers, and students.

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