'Artificial solar eclipse': NASA to launch PUNCH mission via SpaceX' Falcon rocket this month
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
NASA's new mission, Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH), is scheduled to launch on February 27 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission aims to study the Sun’s corona and its connection to the solar wind, which shapes the heliosphere surrounding the solar system.
The PUNCH mission will combine two major areas of heliophysics: solar physics and solar wind physics. By creating 3D observations of the inner heliosphere, PUNCH will help scientists understand the transition between Sun’s corona and the solar wind, key elements in space weather phenomena.
Unlike traditional space missions, PUNCH will involve a constellation of four small satellites. Each satellite will be positioned at different locations in low Earth orbit to provide a complete view of Sun's outer atmosphere and the solar wind.
The mission will use a wide-field imaging system, splitting the instruments across three spacecraft to cover both the bright region close to Sun and the faint area farther out. This setup mirrors the technique used by the Event Horizon Telescope, which captured the first-ever black hole image by linking multiple telescopes worldwide.
A key feature of PUNCH is its narrow-field imager, which will simulate an artificial solar eclipse. This will allow continuous observation of the sun’s corona, a feature typically visible only during a natural eclipse, but with PUNCH’s system, it can be monitored all the time in high definition.
The PUNCH mission will also utilise a polarimeter to study the polarisation of light scattered by the solar wind. This technology enables the creation of 3D maps of the solar wind, helping scientists track how it evolves as it travels through space.
PUNCH is expected to improve space weather forecasting by providing three-dimensional data on solar wind events. This could lead to better predictions of solar storms, which can impact space infrastructure and astronauts. The mission will work alongside other solar missions, like NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, to create comprehensive data sets on Sun’s behaviour and its effect on our solar system.
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