Subject line: study of the Sun and its phenomena

Responsibility of the mission: NASA

Date of launch: October 26th, 2006

End of mission: ongoing

 

Description

STEREO (Solar Reports Observatory TErrestrial) is the third mission of the NASA Solar Probe Terrestrial (STP) programme, aimed at studying the Sun. The mission – launched in 2006 from the 17B launch base at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida – consists of two twin probes – Solar A and Solar B – which observe the Sun from two very distant probes, obtaining stereoscopic images of our star and its phenomena, such as the coronal mass ejections and the solar wind. Both probes were launched to orbit around the Sun, practically at the same distance between Earth and the Sun, and were placed respectively in front and behind our star. During their journey, they tracked and are still tracking the flow of energy and matter from the Sun to our planet.

 

Scientific goals

The STEREO mission aims at investigating the origin, evolution and structure of coronal mass ejections, by taking stereoscopic pictures of the Sun. Thanks to the images released by STEREO, scientists are studying the structure of coronal mass ejections, violent eruptions of material from the Sun’s corona that can lead to power outages and severe magnetic storms when they collide with Earth’s magnetic sphere.

The big geomagnetic storms directed towards Earth can damage, and even destroy, satellites and are extremely dangerous for astronauts when they carry out extra-vehicular activities (EVA) and, therefore, are outside the shield of the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

Furthermore, STEREO provides images and data which are useful to study the evolution of the solar wind, which is important to understand more in depth the nature of the Sun, from the nucleus to the limits of the heliosphere, and the influence it has on the whole Solar System.

‣ News

THURSDAY 23 MARCH 2023

SPEI SATELLES: A SPACE MISSION TO BRING A MESSAGE OF HOPE TO ALL HUMANITY ‣

The space mission, its genesis, its details and its prospects, will be communicated at 10.30 on 27 March, the third anniversary of the Statio Orbis and the tenth of the pontificate of Pope Francis - Sala Marconi, Piazza Pia 3 Rome MORE...

WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2023

ITALIAN PRESIDENT, SERGIO MATTARELLA, VISITS THE “LUIGI BROGLIO” SPACE CENTER IN MALINDI ‣

President Mattarella's first Official Visit to Kenya. Watch the video on AsiTV MORE...

TUESDAY 14 MARCH 2023

The 13th Farinella Prize ‣

The prize is assigned during the EPSC annual meetings MORE...

FRIDAY 03 MARCH 2023

PRISMA in support of the ESA EO Africa initiative ‣

The ASI hyperspectral satellite acquires in Kenya for the HyRELIEF project funded by ESA MORE...

WEDNESDAY 01 MARCH 2023

Agreement between the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Italian Space Agency for heritage study and protection ‣

“Eyes” in space to protect  our national cultural heritage. Cultural heritage data collection kicks off through the COSMO-SkyMed system developed by ASI in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense MORE...