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UK company develops Nasa solar satellite cameras

Ethan Gudge
BBC News, Oxford
NASA A digital depiction of four small satellites in space above earth, with the sun in the background.NASA
The NASA mission will see four satellites sent into orbit

A "pioneering" Nasa mission using satellites partly developed by UK scientists is set to launch later this week.

The American space agency mission will observe the Sun's outer atmosphere - the corona - to learn how the mass and energy there become the solar wind.

Four suitcase-sized spacecraft will be used to build 3D maps of the corona, as part of attempts to improve space weather forecasting.

The camera systems installed on the spacecraft were developed by RAL Space, based in Harwell, Oxfordshire.

Solar wind is usually harmless, and is responsible for producing the Northern and Southern Lights displays.

However, severe solar storms can interfere with aspects of everyday life including GPS systems, power grids, and vital global communications on Earth.

NASA A satellite image of the sun's surface. It is glowing red and orange, with solar flares shooting from it.NASA
The corona is the Sun's outer atmosphere

The Nasa mission aims to explore how solar wind evolves as it expands outwards from the the Sun's atmosphere into the wider solar system.

It's hoped that by capturing images of the Sun's corona and the solar wind together, scientists will be able to better understand a region of space known as the inner heliosphere.

The region is effectively a vast magnetic bubble that surrounds the Sun that is formed by the solar wind.

NASA An artists impression of the satellite. It is a metallic silver colour and has black solar panels on it's front. It is depicted as being in space, above earth.NASA
The satellites weigh just ten-and-a-half stone (67kg)

As part of the operation, scientists, engineers and technicians from RAL Space have developed four specialised cameras that the company said would "capture a new perspective of the evolving solar wind".

Once the spacecraft are in orbit, RAL Space will also be responsible for making sure the equipment on the satellites can provide accurate measurements back to Earth.

NASA An artists depiction of the heliosphere. It is a large purple bubble surrounding a bright yellow light.NASA
The heliosphere is a vast magnetic bubble that surrounds the Sun

Dr Jackie Davies, from RAL Space, said the latest mission built on the company's "extensive heritage in leading, and contributing to, solar and solar wind imaging instruments".

He said the company was "thrilled" to be working alongside Nasa and over US based teams on the "pioneering" project.

He added that he "can't wait to see what new insights our technological and scientific input will reveal in the coming months".

Nasa's Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission is set to launch in the early hours of Friday, UK time.

The four ten-and-a-half stone (67kg) satellites will orbit the Earth for the duration of the mission, which is expected to last two years.

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