This is the web home for SPICE data for Solar Orbiter. For information about the mission operations, go to the Solar Orbiter Science Website.

SOLAR-ORBITER SPICE KERNELS SET

The ESA SPICE Service (ESS) and the Solar Orbiter Science Operations Center, produces a SPICE Kernel Dataset (SKD) for the Solar Orbiter mission. A complete description including naming convention and an index of the contents of the Solar Orbiter SKD can be found in the description of the SOLAR-ORBITER repository.

The Solar Orbiter SPICE Kernels dataset consists of several SPICE kernels, organised as follows:

The SKD has the following directory structure:

  • root directory (named after the mission: SOLAR-ORBITER)
    • kernels
      • ck: Kernels that contain orientation for the spacecraft and some of its structures, (solar arrays, for instance).
      • fk: Kernels that define reference frames needed for the Mission.
      • ik: Kernels for the instruments on board the spacecraft.
      • lsk: Leapseconds kernel.
      • mk: Meta-kernel files (a.k.a "furnsh" files) that provide lists of kernels suitable for a given mission period in the appropiate order.
      • pck: Kernels that define planetary constants.
      • sclk: Spacecraft clock coefficients kernels.
      • spk: Orbit kernels, for the spacecraft and other solar system bodies.
      • dsk: Digital Shape kernels for extended bodies such as the SOLO spacecraft
    • misc
      • release notes: Includes the Release Notes of the SKD.
      • cosmo: The SPICE-enchanced configuration for the Solar Orbiter mission.
      • other: different directories of interest.

OBTAINING THE KERNELS

The complete Solar Orbiter SPICE Kernel Dataset can be obtained from the ESA SPICE Service FTP or the ESA SPICE Service HTTP.

In order to obtain the latest operational kernels we recommend you to download the kernels listed in the metakernel. 

The latest version of the SKD's operational sub-set -including only the latest kernels listed on the metakernel- can be obtained either via:

The Release notes of the latest version of the Solar Orbiter kernel collection can be seen here. 

ORIGIN OF THE KERNELS

KERNELS CREATED BY THE ESA SPICE SERVICE

The ESA SPICE Service and the Solar Orbiter SOC collaborate with the Instrument Teams to create the kernels for Solar Orbiter:

  • Operational SPK, CK and SCLK kernels generated by the SPICE Operational Pipeline (ADCSng).
  • RSSD frames kernel.
  • The instrument kernels (IK) have been developed by the ESA SPICE Service and the Instrument Teams.
  • The Solar Orbiter frames kernel has been created by the ESA SPICE Service.

GENERIC KERNELS PROVIDED BY NAIF

NAIF generates kernels that are mission independent. Some of them are used by ESA missions:

  • Binary and text PCK and LSK kernels.
  • Some SPK kernels with ephemeris of the Solar System bodies.
  • SPK kernels for ground stations.
  • Frames kernels for ground stations.

WEBGEOCALC

The WebGeocalc tool (WGC) provides a web-based graphical user interface to many of the observation geometry computations available from the SPICE system. A WGC user can perform SPICE computations without the need to write a program; the user need have only a computer with a standard web browse. 

Access to the WebGeocalc here.

For more information on WeGeocalc go to the NAIF WebGeocalc description.

STAYING TUNED

Notifications from the ESA SPICE Service can also be obtained via twitter.

You can also join the #SPICE channel in the OpenPlanetary Group in Slack. You can access using this link.