Space exploration and rockets general thread

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Started by Legend, Jan 07, 2017, 05:32 PM

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Xevross

What's the European solar probe? Google is confusing it with the parker solar probe.
Parker Solar Probe: Nasa delays mission to unlock Sun's mysteries - BBC News

What is Europe doing?

The European Space Agency has its own version of Parker.

Solar Orbiter, or SolO as it's sometimes known, is undergoing final assembly and testing in the UK. It is expected to launch in 2020, arriving at its closest position to the Sun towards the end of Parker's planned seven years of operations.

SolO will go to within 42 million km of the Sun's surface. That's further away than Parker but it will still need an impressive shield.

Being at a more distant position, though, means SolO can do things Parker cannot - like look directly at the Sun. This enables the pair to do complementary science.