This category is much fuzzier than the others, which are grouped according to destination. Here that sorting method breaks down, as the object of study, Sol, can be observed from almost anywhere, near or far. Thus, placement in this group may seem arbitrary. Space physics experiments of broad applicability (e.g. radiation measurement, magnetic mapping) are not included here. Earth science e.g. geophysics is specifically excluded - it is covered in another page. However, because the interaction between the Sun and the Earth is of obvious importance to the beings sending the missions, those missions are listed on both pages with anchors to link them. Multiple visits to the same body by the same spacecraft (e.g. GEM) do not count as multiple missions (even if they do require multiple visits to Capitol Hill for funding). Multiple visits to different primaries do. A mere gravity assist maneuver without science return doesn't really count as a mission, either - a "flyby" requires at least one instrument to be pointed in the general direction of the celestial body. This was not an accounting issue until a few Big Science missions (e.g. Galileo, Project Vega) flew some very complex trajectories with multiple gravity assists. However, if you don't agree, by all means email me robot@ultimax.com and I might change my policy.

The dearth of Soviet/Russian missions may be due to payloads and purposes of Interkosmos, Prognoz, and especially the generic Kosmos missions not being well documented. Any further information concerning the scientific objectives of the following Kosmos missions, which have been reported to be for astronomical research, would be appreciated: Kosmos-8, -208, -230, -251, -262, -264, -307, and -461.
According to Jonathan's Space Report #458, dated 08Aug2001:

‘Koronas-F, an AUOS-SM type solar-pointing satellite built by Yuzhnoe in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, carries a set of solar physics instruments.
‘There were 11 launches of earth-oriented AUOS-Z satellites between 1976 and 1991, followed by development of the two solar-pointing AUOS-SM satellites AUOS-SM-KI (Koronas-I) and AUOS-SM-KF (Koronas-F), whose names reflect the two research insitutes who were the original principal investigators for the experiment payloads. The I satellite, for the IZMIRAN geophysics institute, was launched in 1994 and reentered earlier this year. The new F satellite carries that designation because the original lead organization was the Lebedev institute known as FIAN in Russian, although it also carries experiments from IZMIRAN and other research centers. ’

Because so many Soviet astronomy payloads piggybacked on military satellites, I have decided to included early US missions such as the Solrad series which also had covert Cold War roles.

Also the success rate of this class can be misleading compared to other destinations. Most missions for studying the Sun take place from low Earth orbit, no farther. In addition, these missions tend to be much smaller in mass, less complex, closer to their controllers, and therefore less risky.
NOAA's GOES-M weather satellite carries a SXI (soft X-ray imager) equivalent to the Japanese Yohkoh instrument.

Credit goes out to TRW Space Log 1957-1996, The Planetary Report published by The Planetary Society, Proton Mission Planner's Manual, and Jonathan's Space Report; to Chris Jones clj@world.std.com and Marc Rayman mrayman@jpl.nasa.gov. A tip o' the leaded visor to David Portree DSFPortree@aol.com for his sharp eyes.

Future Missions to the Sun

• planned but never designed or built Jupiter/Sun probe - USSR circa 1995-96 on Proton
  According to Anatoliy Zak's RussianSpaceWeb, a 2000 kg-class mission was planned in 1986-87 for launch on a Proton in 1995-96. It would slingshot 'round Jupiter, followed by close approach to the Sun (5-7 radii). During flyby, 500 kg dropsonde would be released into Jovian atmosphere. Another version would continue on to Saturn and the outer system after Jovian slingshot maneuver.
  

• Doublestar - ESA/China March 2003
  Cluster style mission to study the Sun.

• STEREO - USA June 2004.
  Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatories - dual spacecraft leading & trailing L1 will triangulate and study coronal mass ejections.

• Solar-B - Japan August 2004.
  Optical, extreme UV, and X-ray instruments will study interaction between sun's magnetic field and atmosphere.

• Storms - ESA Solar/geomagnetic observatory in 50,000 km circular equatorial earth orbit.

• Solar Orbiter - ESA Solar observatory in highly eccentric solar orbit, perisol = 30M km (solar synchronous altitude). Successor mission to SOHO and Ulysses.

  More missions are planned. Let us know if we've missed any.

---

What's Coming to this Page:
Comprehensive list of individual instruments and capabilities (wavelength, aperture, energy, etc.) aboard each observatory. A few more Soviet missions may be added to this list when their objectives clear up. Your comments are welcome: robot@ultimax.com

---

This site proudly powered and maintained with Copyright 1994-2003 by The Ultimax Group, Inc.

For product or dealer inquiries within the USA & Canada, call:
Outside USA: +1 (865) 483-7097 -- note area code has changed from (423)
or send us a fax: +1 (865) 483-6317 -- note area code has changed from (423)

or write to us:
The Ultimax Group, Inc.
112 Mason Lane
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA 37830-8631

The entire content (images and text) of these pages is copyrighted and may not be distributed, downloaded, modified, reused, re-posted or otherwise used without the express written permission of the authors.

Privacy Policy: The Ultimax Group Inc., will never sell our customer list or distribute our customer's personal data to others without permission.

These pages last updated April 1, 2003