Solar Orbiter

(Data will be available later)

Solar Orbiter, an ESA satellite, was launched in February 2020 to study the Sun and its atmosphere with unprecedented resolution, by approaching to a distance never reached before, 42 million km.
Solar Orbiter will also collect images and data from the Sun's polar regions, as well as its far side not visible from Earth. The main objective of these measurements will be to identify the mechanisms that are at the origin of the solar wind, but they will also be used to study the solar corona, its magnetic field, and its cyclic activity.

The Solar Orbiter mission is part of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program. Developed under ESA project management, the launch was carried out by NASA. CNES participated in the development of 6 of the 10 instruments on board. Among these is the RPW instrument, provided entirely by CNES in partnership with the Paris Observatory Laboratory (LIRA). The Solar Orbiter mission is scheduled for a duration of 7.5 years, which can be extended by 2.4 years.