Therma Plasma Analyzer (TPA)
The Planet-B
Thermal Plasma Analyzer (TPA) is designed to study the ambient plasma environment of Mars.
The instrument is an improved version of the Freja Cold Plasma Analyzer. It will image the
two-dimensional energy-angular distribution of a selected ion species or electrons in the
1-200 eV/q energy-per-charge range using a time-of-flight gate for ion mass analysis. The
TPA is mounted on a deployable boom on the body of the spacecraft.