The Europa Seismic Package

The Europa Seismic Package (ESP) project is an ICEE-2 funded development to advance a seismometer based on the InSight SP seismometer, to TRL 5+ by June 2021, for inclusion in the Europa Lander (EL) mission. It is currently proceeding with the following tasks: (1) Design and build a breadboard backend electronics system including a rad-hard 24 bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (RHADC) capable of meeting the low-noise needs of a seismic instrument on Europa; (2) Parallel development of a brassboard design with a direct path to flight on EL; (3) Modification and build of existing InSight sensor head and feedback board design for Europa gravity and environment requirements; (4) Analogue seismic experiments on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

To minimize dependence between the tasks, and for early retirement of major risks, we developed agreed interfaces between the sensor and the Front End Electronics (FEE), between the FEE and the Back End Electronics (BEE), between the RHADC and the BEE, and between the BEE and the EL. To test the overall system, we produced a BEE Breadboard assembled using evaluation boards for the various major components. This board allows development of key components of the BEE and enables testing with the prototype RHADC and a Single Axis SP System based on the InSight die and electronics. The sensor die design is modified to account for Europa gravity while maintaining as much commonality with the Insight-SP design as practical. The FEE is radiation hardened with smaller circuit modules using Rad Hard components. The FEE development includes a BEE simulator to allow the FEE and sensor performance to be validated independently of the BEE development. The RHADC will first be tested with its own test platform before being tested with the BEE Breadboard. The RHADC will then be finalized to work with the BEE Brassboard. The BEE electronics Brassboard is designed utilizing parts evaluated during breadboard test and will utilize COTS industrial grade components that are replaceable with in-family Rad Hard variants for flight. These components will be integrated to allow the overall system performance to be demonstrated. In a parallel effort a schematic and 3-D model of a flight BEE will be produced using the carefully selected flight components.