Satellite e strumentazione scientifica


La sonda Solar Orbiter ha le seguenti caratteristiche:

  • è stabilizzata sui 3 assi e usa come propellente energia chimica;
  • i suoi pannelli solari possono essere ruotati intorno all’asse longitudinale per regolare la superficie esposta al Sole e quindi la temperatura delle celle;
  • l’antenna ad alto guadagno è ritraibile;
  • lo scudo termico mantiene in ombra il corpo della sonda.


Carico scientifico

InstrumentPICountryMeasurement
Energetic Particle DetectorEPDJ. Rodríguez‑PachecoComposition, timing, and distribution functions of energetic particles
MagnetometerMAGT. HorburyHigh-precision measurements of the heliospheric magnetic field
Radio and Plasma WavesRPWM. MaksimovicElectromagnetic and electrostatic waves in the solar wind, magnetic and electric fields at high temporal resolution
Solar Wind AnalyserSWAC. OwenIon and electron bulk properties (including, density, velocity, and temperature) of the solar wind
Extreme Ultraviolet ImagerEUID. BerghmansHigh-resolution and full-disk imaging of the solar atmospheric layers above the photosphere
CoronagraphMetisM. RomoliVisible-light and ultraviolet imaging of the solar corona
Polarimetric and Helioseismic ImagerPHIS. SolankiHigh-resolution and full-disk measurements of the photospheric vector magnetic field, line-of-sight velocity in the photosphere, and visible-light imaging
Heliospheric ImagerSoloHIR. A. HowardWide-field, visible-light imaging of the solar corona
Spectral Imaging of the Coronal EnvironmentSPICEEuropean‑led facilityEUV spectroscopy of the solar disk and near-Sun corona
Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X‑raysSTIXS. KruckerImaging spectroscopy of solar thermal and non-thermal X-ray emission