Solar Orbiter
Exploring the Sun From New Angles
Solar Orbiter combines telescopic views of the Sun with direct measurements of the surrounding plasma and magnetic environment, while gravity assists gradually raise its view above the solar equator.
Object type
Solar observatory
Launch
February 2020
Known for
Close and polar views of the Sun
TransitSatellite connection
Solar Orbiter connects close-up solar imaging, in-situ solar-wind measurements, Venus gravity assists, and complementary observations with Parker Solar Probe.
Objective
Connect activity on the Sun to the heliosphere
Solar Orbiter studies where solar wind and energetic particles originate and how magnetic activity on the Sun shapes the wider space environment.
Mission design
Remote sensing plus in-situ instruments
The spacecraft carries both telescopes that look at the Sun and instruments that measure particles and fields around the spacecraft, allowing the two perspectives to be combined.
Orbit
Climbing above the ecliptic
Repeated gravity assists, especially at Venus, change Solar Orbiter's viewing geometry so it can observe the Sun from increasingly high solar latitudes and study polar regions.
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