SOHO
The Sun will be monitored from afar with the 1995 launch of ESA's Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Placed in a halo orbit about the L1 libration point (between the Earth and the Sun), SOHO will conduct a 3-part program of helioseismology, solar atmosphere remote sensing, and in situ solar wind observatons as ESA's second half of the STSP. In cooperation with NASA, SOHO will be launched by an Atlas-Centaur booster.
A contractor team led by Matra Marconi was hard at work during 1993-1994 testing and integrating the spacecraft. With an initial mass of 1,850 kg, SOHO is 3.65 m in diameter and 3.8 m tall with a solar array span of 9.5
m. The 3-axis stabilized spacecraft will carry a
610-kg payload of 12 major instruments: three
for helioseismology (GOLF, VIRGO, and MDI/SOI), six for solar atmosphere observations
(SUPER, CDS, KIT, UVCS, LASCO, and
SWAN), and three for solar wind measurements
(CELIAS, COSTEP, and ERNE), The design
lifetime is two years with reserves available for
up to four additional years (References 92-96).
REFERENCES
92. SOHO, technical brochure distributed by ESA, undated.
93. N. Beauclair, "Intespace Teste L'Observatoire Solaire SOHO", Air & Cosmos, 9 December 1994, p. 40.
94. "Lockheed Traces Corona", Space, January-February 1995, p. 26.
95. ESA's Report to the 28th COSPAR Meeting, op. cit., pp. 67-73.
96. Annual Report, ESA, 1993, pp. 30-31 and 1994, p. 25.
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/spp/guide/europe/science/solarsystem/soho.htm
Implemented by Christina Lindborg, 1997 Scoville Fellow
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Tuesday, June 24, 1997