Smile's magnetometer (MAG)

This image shows the folded up magnetometer boom of ESA's Smile mission. In space, it will stretch out to a total length of 3 m. The two magnetometer sensors are in the two small black boxes on the top segment of the boom.

MAG will measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields around the Smile spacecraft to help us understand how the solar wind affects Earth’s magnetosphere and therefore our planet as a whole.