Vega 1 Magnetic Field Measurements During Cruise and Flybys

Vega 1 spacecraft magnetic field data averaged over 2.5-minute intervals from December 1984 to March 1986. The dataset includes measurements from the cruise phase to Venus and after its flyby, presented in spacecraft coordinates and solar ecliptic coordinates. Data was provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Analyzing interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) discontinuities based on the Br component and total B magnitude.
• Studying IMF orientation variations during spacecraft cruise phases using the fixed-axis assumption.
• Investigating magnetic field structure after Venus flyby using data in solar ecliptic coordinates.

Strengths

• Data covers a specific mission period from December 1984 to March 1986.
• Includes measurements from distinct spacecraft orientation phases (one-axis and three-axis stabilized).
• Provides guidance from providers on appropriate use of components like Br and total B.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• For the cruise phase, the directions of By and Bz components are unknown.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

2.5-minute averaged measurements from the Vega 1 spacecraft magnetometer.

Time Range

December 1984 to March 1986

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 08:41:03.260287; freshness should be verified.