Page 37 - EngineerIT March 2022

SPACE SCIENCES

simultaneously from different points in The corona
space. HelioSwarm consists of one hub
spacecraft and eight co-orbiting small The outer solar atmosphere, the corona, is structured by strong magnetic fields. Where
satellites that range in distance from each these fields are closed, often above sunspot groups, the confined solar atmosphere can
other and the hub spacecraft. The hub suddenly and violently release bubbles of gas and magnetic fields called coronal mass
spacecraft will maintain radio contact ejections. A large CME can contain a billion tons of matter that can be accelerated to
with each small satellite. All radio contact several million miles per hour in a spectacular explosion. Solar material streams out
between the swarm and Earth will be through the interplanetary medium, impacting any planet or spacecraft in its path. CMEs
conducted through the hub spacecraft are sometimes associated with flares but can occur independently.
and the NASA deep space network of
spacecraft communication antennas. budget is $250 million. NASA’s Ames Research Centre will provide project management.
“The technical innovation of Funding and management oversight for these missions is provided by the Heliophysics
HelioSwarm’s small satellites operating Explorers Program, managed by the explorers program office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight
together as a constellation provides the Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland.
unique ability to investigate turbulence The outer solar atmosphere, the corona, is structured by strong magnetic fields. Where
and its evolution in the solar wind,” these fields are closed, often above sunspot groups, the confined solar atmosphere can
said Peg Luce, deputy director of the suddenly and violently release bubbles of gas and magnetic fields called coronal mass
heliophysics division. ejections. A large CME can contain a billion tons of matter that can be accelerated to several
The HelioSwarm mission’s principal million miles per hour in a spectacular explosion. Solar material streams out through the
investigator is Harlan Spence from the interplanetary medium, impacting any planet or spacecraft in its path. CMEs are sometimes
University of New Hampshire. The mission’s associated with flares but can occur independently. n
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