NASA launches PUNCH mission to unveil Sun's corona mysteries
NASA has launched the new PUNCH mission, which aims to deliver the first images of the outer atmosphere of the Sun and the surrounding solar system.
NASA has successfully launched the PUNCH mission, designed to study the Sun's outer atmosphere and its impact on space. The four satellites that make up this mission have already started capturing images to examine the effects of the Sun's corona on space weather.
A new look at the Sun's corona
The PUNCH mission, or Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, has completed its satellite deployment phase. In mid-April, the instruments were activated to begin recording data. These images show how the Sun's corona extends and affects the solar system, which is crucial for understanding space weather.
According to SciTech Daily, during the deployment phase, scientists calibrated the instruments to filter out 99% of sunlight, enabling the tracking of delicate streams of solar matter. This process enhances the understanding of how the Sun's corona forms and evolves solar winds, which can impact Earth.
Three-dimensional observations
PUNCH will provide global, three-dimensional data concerning the inner solar system and the Sun's corona. With this mission, scientists can study how cosmic phenomena, such as coronal mass ejections, form and evolve. These phenomena can pose a threat to satellites and astronauts.
The PUNCH mission is conducted by the Southwest Research Institute, based in San Antonio, with satellite operations taking place in Boulder, Colorado. The project is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
