A Study of Solar Orbiter Spacecraft–Plasma Interactions Effects on Electric Field and Particle Measurements

We present numerical simulations of the Solar Orbiter spacecraft (SC)/plasma interaction performed with the SC-plasma interaction system software. Solar orbiter, to be launched in 2019, is dedicated to observe the sun and the solar wind. The SC will be equipped with both in situ and remote sensing instruments and will approach the sun as close as 0.28 AU. The whole SC will be subjected to an intense electromagnetic radiation flux (ten times that at the earth) leading to specific thermal and SC-plasma interactions issues. This paper investigates plasma interaction effects with two instruments: the radio and plasma waves and the electron analyzer system.