Solar physics within ESA's planning

Details Solar physics within ESA's planning Solar physics within ESA's planning

Jun 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993esasp1157...81h&link_type=abstract

In its Scientific Requirements for Future Solar-Physics Space Missions p 81-93 (SEE N94-22837 06-92)

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

European Space Agency, European Space Programs, Mission Planning, Solar Physics, Astronomical Satellites, Soho Mission, Space Missions, Spaceborne Astronomy

Scientific paper

The role of solar physics in past ESRO and ESA missions and mission studies is described. The preparation of 'Horizon 2000', which resulted in Soho becoming an approved project in ESA's scientific program, is discussed. The current studies of solar physics missions within ESA are reviewed, and 'rules' that should be kept in mind by European solar scientists planning a future mission are suggested. After a promising start in ESRO, with solar astronomy experiments being flown on two early satellites (ESRO 2 in 1968 and TD 1 in 1972), solar astronomers were not able to participate again in the ESRO/ESA programs until the Soho mission was approved in 1986. Nevertheless, in the meantime European solar astronomers developed a vigorous scientific endeavour by participating in national balloon, rocket and satellite programs and also serving as experimenters on, or by participating in the scientific operations of, NASA or ISAS (Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) satellite missions (OSO, Skylab, Yohkoh). In parallel, solar physics (if not solar astronomy) experiments continued to be flown on ESRO and ESA satellites. From the mid seventies, studies of solar astronomy missions began to reappear at ESA. It was then realized that pure solar astronomy would have little chance of being recommended for a mission by the ESA advisory structure, and that a wider scientific appeal was required. Accordingly, hybrid remote sensing and particle observatories began to appear. Soho was eventually successful, as it was proposed together with the Cluster space plasma physics mission to form a solar terrestrial science 'Cornerstone' for ESA's Horizon 2000 Long Term Scientific Program. It is also noted that a purely European solar physics mission is probably not viable either, another international partner is necessary.

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