| Mission type | High-inclinationsolar orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2029 |
TheSolar Polar Orbit Observatory (SPO) is a plannedspace probe aimed at studying theSun at various latitudes. It will be operated by theChina National Space Administration (CNSA) as part of their National Space Science Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan, and aims to be the firstheliocentricpolar orbiter sinceNASA andESA'sUlysses in 1990.[1]
Aiming to launch in 2029, the SPO's trajectory calls for the spacecraft to make agravity assist ofEarth in order to reach the orbit ofJupiter. There, it would flyby the planet to place it out of theecliptic, and would subsequently make further assists off of Earth to lower its aphelion.[2] Along the way, it would be making studies of the Sun's poles as it passed overhead.
The SPO is also slated to carry numerous instruments in order to capture the first imaging operations of the solar polar regions, as well as making a "cloud map" ofinterplanetary space around the Sun. Such instruments include anultraviolet andx-ray telescope, severalcoronagraphs, and a radio spectrometer. Additionally, it plans on carrying a handful of ion analyzers as well as amagnetometer.
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Missions are ordered by launch date. Sign† indicates failure en route or before intended mission data returned.‡ indicates use of the planet as agravity assist en route to another destination. | ||
