NASA will launch new sun missions to improve its understanding of the Earth’s solar environment

NASA has selected two science missions, Multi-slit Solar Explorer(MUSE)and HelioSwarmto improve our understanding of the sun’s dynamic, the sun-Earth connection and the constantly changing space environment. These missions will provide greater insight into the universe and critical information to protect astronauts, satellites and communications signals like GPS.

“MUSE and HelioSwarm provide new and deeper insights into the sun’s atmosphere and space weather,” stated Thomas Zurbuchen of NASA Headquarters in Washington, who is also an associate administrator for science. These missions not only expand the science of our other missions in heliophysics, but also offer a unique perspective and novel approach to understanding the mysteries surrounding our star.

MUSE

Scientists will be able to use the MUSE mission to understand the mechanisms that drive the heating of the corona of the sun and the eruptions that occur in the outermost region of the sun that are responsible for space weather. The mission will provide deeper insight into the physics and chemistry of the solar atmosphere. It will use a powerful instrument called a multi-slit spectrumrometer to observe the sun’s extreme ultraviolet radiation. This instrument can also capture the highest resolution images of the corona and the solar transition region.

The mission will also provide complementary observations to heliophysics research, such as the Extreme UltraViolet Spectroscopic Telescope (EUSST) and ground-based observatories.

“MUSE will fill critical gaps in our knowledge pertaining to sun-Earth connectivity,” said Nicola Fox (director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA headquarters). It will provide more information about space weather and complement a host of missions within the heliophysics fleet.

MUSE’s primary goal is to examine the causes of coronal heat and instability, such coronal mass and ejections. It also aims to gain insight into the fundamental plasma properties of the corona. MUSE will capture high-resolution images showing the evolution of solar flare ribbons within a narrow field of view that focuses on an active area of the sun.

Bart DePontieu from the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, (LMATC), Palo Alto in California is the principal investigator for MUSE. This mission has a budget totaling $192 million. LMATC will manage this project.

HelioSwarm

The HelioSwarm mission, a constellation of nine spacecraft, will capture the first in-space multiscale measurements of fluctuations and motions in the solar wind. This is known as solar wind Turbulence. The heliosphere, the sun’s outermost atmosphere layer, covers a vast area of the solar system. The heliosphere is home to solar winds that travel through it. Interactions with the planet magnetospheres and disruptions like coronal masses ejections can affect their turbulence.

Plasma measurements must be taken simultaneously from several points in space to study the effects of solar wind on large areas. HelioSwarm is composed of one hub spacecraft, eight small satellites orbiting in co-orbit and are separated by the hub spacecraft. Each small satellite will remain in radio contact with its hub spacecraft. All radio contact between Earth and the swarm will be made via the hub spacecraft and NASA Deep Space Network communication antennas.

“The technical innovation of HelioSwarm’s small satellites operating together in a constellation gives the unique ability to study turbulence evolution in the sun’s solar wind,” said Peg Lucie, deputy director of Heliophysics Division.

Harlan Spence, University of New Hampshire’s principal investigator for the HelioSwarm mission, is it’s principal investigator. The mission’s budget is $250 Million. NASA’s Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, California will manage the project.