First measurements by a Solar Orbiter science instrument reached the ground on Thursday 13 February providing a confirmation to the international science teams that the magnetometer on board is in good health following a successful deployment of the spacecraft's instrument boom.
Solar Orbiter, ESA's new sun-exploring spacecraft, launched on Monday 10 February. It carries ten scientific instruments, four of which measure properties of the environment around the spacecraft, especially electromagnetic characteristics of the solar wind, the stream of charged particles flowing from the sun. Three of these 'in situ' instruments have sensors located on the 4.4 m-long boom.
"We measure magnetic fields thousands of times smaller than those we are familiar with on Earth," says Tim Horbury of Imperial College London, Principal Investigator for the Magnetometer instrument (MAG). "Even currents in electrical wires make magnetic fields far larger than what we need to measure. That's why our sensors are on a boom, to keep them away from all the electrical activity inside the spacecraft."
Ground controllers at the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, switched on the magnetometer's two sensors (one near the end of the boom and the other close to the spacecraft) about 21 hours after liftoff. The instrument recorded data before, during and after the boom's deployment, allowing the scientists to understand the influence of the spacecraft on measurements in the space environment.
"The data we received shows how the magnetic field decreases from the vicinity of the spacecraft to where the instruments are actually deployed," adds Tim. "This is an independent confirmation that the boom actually deployed and that the instruments will, indeed, provide accurate scientific measurements in the future."
[Emphasis in original. -Ed.]
Previously:
Solar Orbiter Blasts Off to Capture First Look at Sun's Poles
Iran Satellite Launch Fails; ESA Solar Orbiter Launch Succeeds (So Far)
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Iran satellite launch fails, in blow to space programme
On Sunday, [Iran] launched the Zafar satellite at 7:15 pm (1545 GMT) but it fell short of reaching orbit, the defence ministry said.
A ministry spokesman said initially that the satellite was "successfully" launched and went "90 percent of the way", reaching an altitude of 540 kilometres (335 miles).
"The Simorgh (rocket) successfully propelled the Zafar satellite into space," said Ahmad Hosseini of the ministry's space unit.
"Unfortunately, in the final moments the carrier did not reach the required speed" to put it into orbit, he told state television.
Solar Orbiter: Watch live as NASA, ESA launch new mission to the sun:
The European Space Agency, in collaboration with NASA, is scheduled to launch a pioneering new spacecraft to the sun: Solar Orbiter. The spacecraft will observe the star with a suite of hardy instruments and high-resolution telescopes. It will be steered further out of the ecliptic until it can, for the first time, image the sun's poles. It's currently slated to launch on Feb. 9 from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
If you're keen to see the momentous launch, you can follow along with NASA's broadcast tonight[*].
As it awaits lift-off, the Solar Orbiter is tucked away inside a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The two-stage rocket was developed by Lockheed Martin and has ferried a number of important missions to space, including NASA's famed New Horizons mission to Pluto and the recent Boeing Starliner test.
[...] Launch is currently slated for 11:03 p.m. ET (8:03 p.m. PT). The forecast, provided by the 45th Weather Squadron, suggests weather will be good for launch, noting a 20% probability of violating constraints.
[*] Launch will be live streamed on YouTube with coverage scheduled to begin on Sunday at 10:30 PM ET, (Monday 2020-02-10 at 0330 UTC).
ESA will also have a live stream broadcast at http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/ESA_Web_TV. Additionally, as seen at https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Solar_Orbiter/Watch_Solar_Orbiter_launch_live we have:
Key moments:
03:30 GMT – Broadcast starts
04:03 GMT – Liftoff
04:55 GMT – Solar Orbiter spacecraft separation
04:59 GMT – Earliest signal acquisition opportunity
05:19 GMT – Expected solar array deployment
05:20 GMT – Official speeches
Europe and NASA's Solar Orbiter rocketed into space Sunday night on an unprecedented mission to capture the first pictures of the sun's elusive poles.
[...]The $1.5 billion spacecraft will join NASA's Parker Solar Probe, launched 1 1/2 years ago, in coming perilously close to the sun to unveil its secrets.
While Solar Orbiter won't venture close enough to penetrate the sun's corona, or crown-like outer atmosphere, like Parker, it will maneuver into a unique out-of-plane orbit that will take it over both poles, never photographed before. Together with powerful ground observatories, the sun-staring space duo will be like an orchestra, according to Gunther Hasinger, the European Space Agency's science director.
[...]Solar Orbiter was made in Europe, along with nine science instruments. NASA provided the 10th instrument and arranged the late-night launch from Cape Canaveral.
[...]The rocket was visible for four full minutes after liftoff, a brilliant star piercing the night sky. Europe's project scientist Daniel Mueller was thrilled, calling it "picture perfect." His NASA counterpart, scientist Holly Gilbert, exclaimed, "One word: Wow."
NASA declared success 1 1/2 hours later, once the Solar Orbiter's solar wings were unfurled.
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 19 2020, @03:05AM
lol its hot here
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Wednesday February 19 2020, @04:31PM
So, this is just a pure research kind of mission, yes? No specific case where the measurements are thought to have a significant use for us. Sounds interesting, hope they get some cool pictures.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"