NASA Solar probe

The NASA Solar Probe projectSpace Times, May/June 2007, page 8.] is a proposed robotic spacecraft that will approach as close as 3 Solar Radii from the sun. [cite web | url=http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10jun_solarprobe.htm?list1065474 | title=NASA Plans to Visit the Sun|publisher=NASA | accessdate=2008-06-13] This project (also known under the name "Solar Probe+", pronounced "Solar Probe Plus") was announced as a new mission start in the fiscal 2009 budget year. On May 1, 2008 the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory announced to design and build the spacecraft, on a schedule to launch in 2015 [cite web | author =M. Buckley | title = NASA Calls on APL to Send a Probe to the Sun | work = Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory |date = 2008-05-01| url = http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2008/080501.asp| accessdate = 2008-05-05] .

cientific goals

*Determine the structure and dynamics of the magnetic fields at the sources of solar wind.
*Trace the flow of energy that heats the corona and accelerates the solar wind.
*Determine what mechanisms accelerate and transport energetic particles.
*Explore dusty plasma near the sun and its influence on solar wind and energetic particle formation.

External links

* [http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/ssl/pad/solar/suess/SolarProbe/SolarProbe.htm Unofficial report on the "NASA Solar Probe" project]
* [http://solarprobe.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Official "NASA Solar Probe" project homepage]
* [http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10jun_solarprobe.htm?list1065474]

References