Solar Orbiter Science Press Briefing
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) will present Solar Orbiter, the ESA/NASA mission to the Sun, during a science press briefing on Friday, Feb. 7. 2020, at 2.30 p.m. EST.
Solar Orbiter will observe the Sun with high spatial resolution telescopes and capture observations in the environment directly surrounding the spacecraft to create a one-of-a-kind picture of how the Sun can affect the space environment throughout our solar system. The spacecraft also will provide the first-ever images of the Sun’s poles and the never-before-observed magnetic environment there, which helps drive the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle and its periodic outpouring of solar storms.
The teleconference audio will stream live at:
https://www.nasa.gov/live
Participants include:
European Space Agency
• Daniel Müller, Solar Orbiter Project Scientist
• Günther Hasinger, Director of Science
NASA
• Nicky Fox, Heliophysics Division Director, NASA HQ
• Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ
During its closest approaches of the Sun, Solar Orbiter will travel fast enough to study how magnetically active regions evolve for up to four weeks at a time. Solar Orbiter will return the first images and measurements of the Sun’s polar magnetic field, helping scientists relate the poles to the solar activity cycle.
Credit: ESA/ATG Medialab
This animation of Solar Orbiter and its instruments begins by showing small sliding doors in the heat shield open to allow the internally mounted, remote-sensing instruments to observe the Sun. Special windows block out heat to protect the instruments during operations. The doors are closed when the remote-sensing instruments are not observing. The in situ instruments are in science mode throughout the spacecraft’s orbit.
Credit: ESA/ATG Medialab
This visualization presents a model of the Sun’s magnetic field based on solar observations. Currently, scientists lack measurements of the magnetic field at the Sun’s north and south poles. Solar Orbiter will fly in an inclined orbit in order to study the poles.
Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio/Tom Bridgman
For More Information
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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Host
- Karen Fox (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
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Producers
- Joy Ng (KBRwyle)
- Kathalina Tran (SGT)
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Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
- John Sackman (ASRC Federal Data Solutions)
- Michael Justice (ASRC Federal Data Solutions)
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Speakers
- Daniel Mueller (ESA)
- Günther Hasinger (ESA)
- Nicola Fox (NASA)
- Thomas H. Zurbuchen (NASA/HQ)