>>> HELLO, AND WELCOME.
I AM KAREN FOX, AND WE ARE HERE
AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN
FLORIDA TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT
MISSION THAT NASA IS LAUNCHING,
SOLAR ORBITER.
THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND NASA,
AND IT IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE
MOST COMPREHENSIVE VIEWS OF OUR
STAR WE HAVE EVER BEEN ABLE TO
GET.
WE HAVE A PANEL OF GREAT
SPEAKERS HERE TODAY TO TALK TO
YOU ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE DANIEL MUELLER, WHO IS
THE PROJECT SCIENTIST FOR SOLAR
ORBITER ESA.
WE HAVE NICKY FOX, WHO IS THE
DIRECTOR FOR HELIOPHYSICS AT
NASA.
WE HAVE GUENTHER HASINGER, WHO
IS THE DIRECTOR FOR SCIENCE AT
ESA.
AND FINALLY, THOMAS ZURBUCHEN,
ADMINISTRATOR AT NASA SCIENCE.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9th, 11:00 P.M.
EAST COAST TIME IS THE LAUNCH.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GET
STARTED ABOUT THIS MISSION.
DANIEL, YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE
MISSION FOR 13 YEARS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
WE'RE NEARING COMPLETION.
JUST A FEW MORE DAYS TO GO.
WE'RE EXCITED.
>> TELL US WHY.
WHY ARE YOU EXCITED?
>> I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST JOB
IN THE WORLD BECAUSE WE'RE GOING
OUT THERE TO EXPLORE THE SUN AND
THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
SO THE ORBITER WILL BE THE FIRST
TIME THAT WE SEND A SATELLITE
OUT TO TAKE IMAGES OF THE SUN'S
POLES.
IN ADDITION, GETTING THE FIRST
EVER DATA OF THE POLAR MAGNETIC
FIELD.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS REALLY
HOLDS THE KEYS TO UNRAVELLING
THE MYSTERIES OF THE SUN'S
ACTIVITY CYCLE.
AND IN ADDITION, WE'LL ALSO
MONITOR THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN,
WHICH WE CANNOT SEE FROM EARTH,
AND COMBINE THAT DAY IT WITH
SATELLITES AND TELESCOPES TO
PROVIDE A FULL 3D VIEW OF OUR
STAR.
AND SO THE ORBITER IS REALLY A
LABORATORY IN ORBIT.
WE HAVE A SUITE OF TEN
SOPHISTICATED INSTRUMENTS THAT
WILL WORK TOGETHER TO TRACK THE
EVOLUTION OF ERUPTIONS ON THE
SUN FROM THE SURFACE, OUT INTO
SPACE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
EARTH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S AN EXCITING MISSION.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO NICKY FOX.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
CONTEXT.
HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO WHY WE
WANT TO STUDY THE SUN?
>> THANK YOU, KAREN.
IT'S A VERY, VERY EXCITING
MISSION.
OUR ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM IS
REALLY GOVERNED BY THE ACTIVITY
THAT COMES FROM THE SUN.
THERE'S A CONTINUALLY STREAMING
KIND OF SOUP OF ENERGETIC
PARTICLES THAT MOVE AWAY FROM
THE SUN, BATHE ALL THE PLANETS.
WE CALL THAT THE SOLAR WIND.
NOT ONLY DOES IT DO THAT, IT
ACTUALLY CARVES OUT OUR PLACE IN
SPACE.
SO AS THE SOLAR SYSTEM IS GOING
ROUND ON ITS JOURNEY AROUND THE
MILKY WAY, WE'RE PROTECTED FROM
INTERSTELLAR SPACE AND THE
VAGARIES OF WHAT IS OUT THERE BY
THE SOLAR WIND AND THE PROTECTED
BUBBLE IT CREATES.
SOMETIMES IN THIS CONTINUALLY
FLOWING SOUP, WE SEE THESE VERY
ENERGETIC KIND OF EXPLOSIONS ON
THE SUN.
WE CALL THEM CORONAL MASS
EJECTIONS, AND WE SEE THEM
EMBEDDED IN THE SOLAR WIND.
WHEN THEY ARRIVE HERE AT EARTH,
THEY CAN REALLY DISRUPT
TECHNOLOGY.
THEY CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR GPS,
FOR COMMUNICATIONS, AND OF
COURSE FOR OUR ASTRONAUTS.
THE SOLAR WIND CAN EVEN CAUSE
ISSUES FOR THEM WHILE THEY'RE IN
OUR PROTECTIVE MAGNETIC FIELD.
SO IF NASA MOVES FORWARD TO
RETURN TO THE MOON, TO MARS, AND
BEYOND WITH OUR ARTEMIS PROGRAM,
MISSIONS LIKE SOLAR ORBITER
JOINING OUR FLEET BECOME REALLY,
REALLY CRITICAL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DANIEL, WITH THAT BACKGROUND,
WHAT IS SOLAR ORBITER DOING TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THAT?
HOW IS IT GOING TO HELP?
>> SOLAR ORBITER IS SPECIAL
BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST MISSION
TO TRY TO LINK THE SUN AND
ESTABLISH A CAUSE AND EFFECT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHAT
HAPPENS ON THE SUN AND WHAT WE
OBSERVE IN THE NEAR-EARTH
ENVIRONMENT.
IN PARTICULAR, WE WANT TO FIND
OUT IN DETAIL ABOUT HOW THE
SOLAR MAGNETIC FIELD WORKS.
WE KNOW THAT MOVING CHARGES
GENERATE A MAGNETIC FEEL, WHICH
IS IN A WAY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT
HAPPENS IN A LIGHT GENERATOR, ON
A BICYCLE.
WE KNOW THAT THE SUN EXHIBITS
THIS 11-YEAR ACTIVITY CYCLE.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OBSERVING THE
SUN SINCE MAN INVENTED
TELESCOPES ABOUT 400 YEARS AGO.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT DRIVES
THIS CYCLE OF 11 YEARS.
AND THE AMPLITUDE, WE CANNOT
PREDICT HOW STRONG THE NEXT
CYCLE WILL BE.
WE BELIEVE THE SUN'S POLES ARE
KEY TO UNDERSTAND.
WE KNOW THAT THE SUN'S MAGNETIC
FIELD IS TRANSPORTED A LITTLE
LIKE ON A CONVEYOR BELT FROM THE
EQUATORIAL REGIONS TO THE POLES
AND BACK.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS FLY
TO AN ALTITUDE WHERE YOU CAN
LOOK DOWN ON THE SUN'S POLES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
SO ON THE ORBITER, WE HAVE THREE
INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE MAGNETIC
FIELD.
SO WE'LL USE BOTH A SENSE OF
TOUCH, ALMOST TOUCHING THE SUN
LITERALLY, MEASURING THE PLASMA
AT THE LOCATION OF THE
SPACECRAFT.
AND WE'LL HAVE TWO OF THESE
SENSORS.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A CAMERA THAT
WILL USE MAGNETIC FIELD
INFORMATION AND CODE IT.
THEREBY WE TRY TO CONNECT THE
MAGNETIC FIELD ON THE SURFACE TO
THE MAGNETIC FIELD WE MEASURE
WHERE THE SPACECRAFT FLIES.
ULTIMATELY, THE MAGNETIC FIELD
SHAPES EVERYTHING, THIS ENTIRE
PLASMA BUBBLE.
IT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE WAY
THE SOLAR WIND IS ACCELERATED.
WE UNDERSTAND ROUGHLY HOW THAT
WORKS BUT NOT REALLY IN DETAIL.
COMBINING SOLAR ORBITER WILL
REALLY PROVIDE US WITH A
POWERFUL TOOL TO DO THAT.
>> TAKE US EVEN A LITTLE
FURTHER.
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS
THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO HELP US
DO THIS?
>> WE HAVE TEN INSTRUMENTS ON
BOARD.
SO A REALLY IMPRESSIVE SUITE.
AS THE MISSION'S PROJECT
SCIENTIST, I LOVE THEM ALL
EQUALLY.
THEY'RE ALL GREAT.
THEY WORK EVEN BETTER AS A TEAM.
AND THE UNIQUE THING IS WE HAVE
THESE FOUR SENSE OF TOUCH
INSTRUMENTS THAT MEASURE THE
SOLAR WIND AS IT DIPS PAST THE
SPACECRAFT.
WE HAVE SIX TELESCOPES THAT
OBSERVE THE LIGHT FROM THE SUN
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
RAINBOW SPECTRUM.
TWO OF THOSE ARE SO-CALLED
CORONOGRAPHS WHERE WE BLOCK OUT
THE LIGHT OF THE SUN TO GET THE
IMAGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND
THE SUN.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THESE
SENSORS THAT MEASURE, FOR
EXAMPLE, IONS IN SPACE.
ELEMENTS ON THE SUN ARE NOT ONLY
HYDROGEN AND HELIUM, BUT IRON,
OXYGEN.
WE MEASURE THOSE AT THE LOCATION
OF THE SPACECRAFT.
WE REALLY WEIGH THE PARTICLES,
BUT WE CAN ALSO MEASURE THE
LIGHT THAT THEY EMIT ON THE
SURFACE.
THEREBY, WE HAVE A UNIQUE WAY OF
LINKING THE TWO.
>> GREAT.
SO AS YOU'VE WALKED US THROUGH
THIS SPACECRAFT, IT IS OF COURSE
BUILT ON A LEGACY OF ALL SORTS
OF OTHER OBSERVATORIES THAT HAVE
BEEN LOOKING AT THE SUN.
NICKY, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE OF
THAT.
HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO OUR
STUDIES IN GENERAL?
>> I LOVE THE TERM LEGACY
BECAUSE WE REALLY DO DESIGN OUR
MISSIONS BASED ON WHAT'S COME
BEFORE.
WE'VE HAD THIS LONG PARTNERSHIP
WITH ESA.
WE HAD ULYSSES THAT LAUNCHED.
WE'VE HAD SOHO.
GOING BACK TO THAT LAUNCH 25
YEARS AGO, THERE HAVE BEEN 13
SOLAR MISSIONS.
SO SOLAR ORBITER WILL BE THE
14th DEDICATED SOLAR MISSION
SINCE 1995.
AND SO WE BUILD ON THIS LEGACY
OF THESE MISSIONS THAT HAVE GONE
BEFORE.
THEY TELL US THE QUESTIONS WE
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT TO
ANSWER.
SO WE DESIGN OUR MISSION.
FOR ME, THE MOST EXCITING THING
IS WE ARE WELCOMING SOLAR
ORBITER INTO THIS HUGE FLEET.
EACH OF OUR SPACECRAFT IS
DESIGNED TO GO TO EXACTLY THE
RIGHT PLACE TO DO THE SCIENCE
THAT WE WANT IT TO ADDRESS.
SO WE COVER EVERYTHING FROM THE
INNER HELIOSPHERE TO OUT OUTER
VOYAGES.
WE PUT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER,
JUST LIKE DANIEL SAID.
THE TEN INSTRUMENTS WORK
TOGETHER BETTER AS A TEAM.
ALL OF THOSE ASSETS YOU SEE WORK
BETTER AS A TEAM.
IT'S AN EXCITING TIME.
WE WILL BE JOINED BY OUR SISTER
SOLAR ORBITER.
THEY WILL START TAKING DATA
TOGETHER.
OF COURSE, JUST LAST WEEK WE SAW
THOSE FABULOUS FIRST LIGHT
IMAGES FROM THE SPACE TELESCOPE.
IF WE RUN THE VIDEO, YOU'LL SEE
THESE LITTLE GRAINS THERE.
THEY'RE ABOUT THE SIZE OF TEXAS,
IF WE CAN RUN THAT.
EACH OF THOSE CELLS IS ABOUT THE
SIZE OF TEXAS.
SO IT IS JUST AS I ALWAYS SAY, A
GREAT TIME TO BE A
HELIOPHYSICIST.
>> THANK YOU, NICKY, FOR THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND GET A
LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO WE HAVE GUENTHER HASINGER,
THE DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE FOR ESA.
TELL US HOW THIS FITS INTO WHAT
ESA IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, SO WE ARE REALLY VERY
EXCITED THAT SOLAR ORBITER WILL
JOIN THE FLEET OF MISSIONS THAT
ESA HAS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
SIMILAR TO NASA AND MANY OF
THESE THINGS WE ARE DOING
TOGETHER, WE HAVE ACTUALLY QUITE
A NUMBER OF MISSIONS.
WE ARE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS
OF GIANTS IN A SENSE.
ULYSSES, NICKY MENTIONED, WAS
THE FIRST ONE THAT WENT OVER THE
POLES OF THE SUN BUT AT A VERY
LARGE DISTANCE AND EYES CLOSED,
SO WE DIDN'T REALLY GET THE
INFORMATION THAT SOLAR ORBITER
WILL GET.
SOHO HAS BEEN WORKING 25 YEARS,
DOING EXCELLENT MONITORING.
WE ALSO HAVE SENT SOMETHING
RECENTLY TO MERCURY.
WE HAVE PLASMA INSTRUMENTS
NEARBY.
THE CLUSTER MISSION, FOR
INSTANCE.
NASA HAS A CLUSTER-TYPE MISSION.
SO SOLAR ORBITER WILL SIT IN
THIS FAMILY OF MISSIONS THAT ARE
STUDYING THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND TOGETHER WITH PARKER SOLAR
PROBE, I REGARD IT AS AN
ORCHESTRA.
EVERY INSTRUMENT PLAYS A
DIFFERENT TUNE, BUT TOGETHER
THEY PLAY THE SYMPHONY OF THE
SUN.
AND IT IS QUITE FITTING THAT
JUST RECENTLY EUGENE PARKER
HIMSELF HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED TO
WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS CRAWFORD
PRIDE, WHICH IS SOMETHING LIKE
THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR ASTRONOMY.
HE WHO HAS DISCOVERED THE SOLAR
WIND IS NOW ALSO AWARDED THIS
PRIZE, EXACTLY AT THE TIME WE
FORM THIS COLLABORATION.
IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUENTHER.
WE ARE GOING TO GO NOW TO THOMAS
ZURBUCHEN, THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR SCIENCE AT
NASA HEADQUARTERS.
WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, THERE'S
ACTUALLY A REASON WITH ALL THESE
MISSIONS THAT YOU'RE PAYING
ATTENTION TO, WHY SOLAR ORBITER
IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL TO YOU.
>> WELL, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO AS
A SCIENTIST, BEFORE I STOPPED
DOING SCIENCE AND HELPED OTHER
SCIENTISTS MOSTLY, I ACTUALLY
WAS PART OF THIS EARLY STAGES OF
THAT MISSION.
WE DESIGNED THE MISSION TOGETHER
ALREADY AS AN INTERNATIONAL
TEAM.
THEN WHAT WE DID IS WE CAME UP
WITH NEW SENSORS.
THERE'S ONE SENSOR ON IT FOR ME
A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL
THE OTHERS.
FOR YOU IT'S ALL THE SAME.
THERE'S THAT ONE THAT I WORKED
TOGETHER AS A LEAD OF THE SENSOR
LEAD, THE HEAVY IRON SENSOR.
YOU TALK ABOUT THIS IRON AND
OXYGEN.
IT'S THAT SENSOR THAT I DESIGNED
TOGETHER WITH THAT TEAM.
IT'S UP THERE NOW ON THE ROCKET.
>> THAT IS EXCITING.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
SO NOW GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT ALL OF THE MISSIONS IN THE
PORTFOLIO FOR SCIENCE.
HOW DOES SOLAR ORBITER FIT INTO
WHAT NASA IS TRYING TO DO WITH
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH RIGHT NOW?
>> SO THE FIRST THING THAT'S
REALLY EXCITE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT
IS IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR INNER
HELIOSPHERE SCIENCE.
THE NEAR SOLAR PHYSICS, THERE'S
A CAMPAIGN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
THAT'S HISTORIC.
IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.
WHAT'S REALLY CRITICAL IS TO GET
THE BEST SCIENCE OUT OF THIS
RIGHT NOW.
IT'S REALLY AMAZING.
WHAT'S COOL, THOUGH, IS THAT THE
SCIENCE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING
ADDRESSED ARE ACTUALLY REALLY
IMPORTANT ELSEWHERE TOO.
LOOK AT ASTROPHYSICS.
WE'RE ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS
ABOUT FINDING PLANETS WHERE LIFE
COULD EXIST.
IF YOU'RE NEXT TO A STAR THAT
HAS ENORMOUS ERUPTIONS LIKE THEY
DO, WE OBSERVE WITH
OBSERVATORIES ELSEWHERE.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, WE WIPE
CLEAN, OR BURN OFF, THE
ATMOSPHERE OF THESE STARS.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR
LIFE, WE THINK.
SO REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE
ORIGIN OF ACTIVITY, WHICH IS
PRECISELY WHAT DANIEL TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER, IS SOMETHING
THAT'S OF INTEREST IN MANY OTHER
DOMAINS.
BY THE WAY, LOOKING AT POLAR
REGIONS, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT,
YOU CAN LEARN, FOR EXAMPLE, BY
LOOKING AT JUPITER.
LOOKING DOWN AT IT, POLAR
REGIONS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN
WE EXPECTED.
THERE'S A LOT OF PUZZLES ABOUT
THE MAGNETIC ENGINE OF THAT
PLANET.
SO WE THINK OF THIS AS JUST SUCH
A CRITICAL ELEMENT, BOTH FOR
HELIOPHYSICS BUT FOR SCIENCE
OVERALL.
>> AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE COMING
UP ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION WITH ESA.
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH, I WAS JUST AT LAUNCH
READINESS REVIEW.
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WAS
TO TURN AROUND AND SEE THE
EUROPEAN LAUNCH TEAM RIGHT THERE
SITTING IN THE LAUNCH READINESS
REVIEW.
SO WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT EACH
OTHER'S CULTURES, EACH OTHER'S
PROCESSES BECAUSE NEXT YEAR, WE
WANT TO LAUNCH THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT ON THE
EUROPEAN SIDE.
THE TELESCOPE, RIGHT NOW IT'S
ALL FOLDED UP.
THEY'RE DOING SOME OF THE LAST
CHANGES BEFORE WE DO THE FINAL
TEST.
SO WE'RE GETTING EXCITED.
SO MANY OF OUR MISSIONS ARE
INTERNATIONAL.
MANY PEOPLE JUST DON'T
UNDERSTAND, THE SCIENCE
COMMUNITY IS AN INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE NATURAL WAY OF DOING
WORK, IN AN INTERNATIONAL WAY.
SCIENCE UNITES ALL OF US AROUND
THE WORLD.
SOLAR ORBITER AND JAMES WEBB ARE
JUST AN INDICATION OF THAT.
>> GREAT.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TIME NOW TO
TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE
ROOM.
WE ALSO MAY HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO
HAVE PHONED IN GIVING QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO ARE TAKING SOCIAL MEDIA
QUESTIONS AT #ASKNASA.
YES, MARSHA.
>> I'M INTERESTED IN THE POLAR
VIEWS OF THE SUN.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN
GUESS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.
TO ME, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THE
REST OF THE SUN.
BUT WHAT IN PARTICULAR WILL YOU
BE LOOKING FOR?
MAYBE THERE WILL BE HUGE
DIFFERENCES IN THE PICTURES.
IF SO, WHAT?
AND WILL YOU HAVE THE KIND OF
RESOLUTION AS WE SAW IN THE
PHOTO FROM THE HAWAIIAN
TELESCOPE WITH THE TEXAS-SIZE,
YOU KNOW, BOILING BUBBLES THERE
ON THE SUN?
I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A LITTLE
SNEAK PREVIEW.
>> YES, I THINK I CAN TAKE THAT
ONE.
I THINK IN GENERAL TERMS, THE
SUN'S POLES ARE STILL PART OF
THE SOLAR SURFACE.
IN GENERAL TERMS, THEY WILL LOOK
SOMEWHAT SIMILAR.
THE DIFFERENCE REALLY LIES IN
THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
SO THIS BOILING SURFACE WITH A
GRANULATION WILL MOST LIKELY
LOOK SIMILAR.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDICATIONS OF
THIS CONVEYOR BELT MECHANISM
WHERE A FIELD SUBMERGES AND WE
SEE INDICATIONS OF THE NEXT
SOLAR CYCLE POPPING UP.
SO AFTER 11 YEARS, THE SUN FLIPS
ITS GLOBAL FIELD.
THE EARTH HAS DONE IT A FEW
TIMES IN ITS HISTORY, BUT THE
SUN DOES IT ON AN 11-YEAR SCALE.
WE BELIEVE WE'LL
BUT FOR SOLAR ORBITER, THE KEY
THING IS THEY'RE GOING OUT, SO
THEY'RE LIFTING OUT OF THAT
PLANE WHERE THERE'S THE PLANETS,
TO GIVE US UNPRECEDENTED VIEWS
OF THE POLES.
AS GUENTHER SAID, WE KNOW THE
POLES ARE EXCITING BECAUSE WE
FLEW ULYSSES OVER THERE, AND WE
SAW DRAMATIC DIFFERENCES IN THE
POLES FROM SOLAR MINIMUM TO
SOLAR MAXIMUM.
BUT WE COULDN'T SEE IT.
WE HAVE MODELS THAT HAVE SHOWN
THERE MAY BE GIANT CORONAL HOLES
THAT TAKE UP A HUGE AREA.
WE JUST SEE THE VERY, VERY EDGES
OF THEM FROM WHERE WE ARE.
SO SOLAR ORBITER IS DESIGNED TO
GO AND BE ABLE TO REALLY UNLOCK
THESE MYSTERIES.
PARKER SOLAR PROBE, OF COURSE,
IS GOING DEEP INTO THE KORONA,
ORBITING THE WAY THROUGH THAT
ACTION REGION AS CLOSE AS ABOUT
3.9 MILLION MILES.
AFTER HER NEXT VENUS FLY-BY,
SHE'LL BE AT ABOUT 8.4 MILLION
MILES ABOVE THE SURFACE.
THE KEY THERE IS THAT WE'RE
PROVIDING THE DATA.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THE SUN IN
ALL THESE OTHER WAVELENGTHS.
WE'VE BEEN IN AS FAR AS MERCURY.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE CORONA TO
TOUCH THAT WIND, TO TELL US WHAT
PROCESSES ARE GOING ON.
WE'VE SEEN GREAT RESULTS
ALREADY.
WE'VE HAD THE NATURE PAPERS.
LAST MONTH WE HAD 43 PAPERS THAT
WERE PUBLISHED IN SUCH A SHORT
TIME.
SO PARKER ALREADY GIVING US
GREAT RESULTS, BUT IT IS JUST
THAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARKER
AND BETWEEN SOLAR ORBITER THAT
WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT.
THEY'RE SORT OF JUST GIVING US
VERY SIMILAR SCIENCE QUESTIONS
BUT TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS OF
ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP.
>> CAN I ADD TO THAT?
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE
FEELING HOW THEY'RE WORKING,
SOLAR ORBITER WILL GO INTO A
REGION WHERE IT IS ABOUT AS HOT
AS A PIZZA OVEN.
IT'S ABOUT 500 DEGREES CELSIUS.
IT HAS THIS VERY INTRICATE HEAT
SHIELD THAT IS KEEPING IT
BASICALLY SAFE FROM THE SUN.
THEN IT HAS THESE LITTLE
PEEPHOLES THAT OPEN WHEN WE WANT
TO LOOK AT THE SUN.
OTHERWISE, THEY ARE CLOSED
BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE SO
SENSITIVE, AND THE REST IS
BASICALLY SHIELDED FROM ALL THAT
HEAT.
PARKER SOLAR PROBE IS GOING EVEN
FURTHER.
IT GOES INTO THE PLACE WHERE IT
IS ACTUALLY MILLIONS OF DEGREES
HOT, WHERE IT'S FLYING BASICALLY
THROUGH THE CORONA.
THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN A
PEEPHOLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT
TO LOOK AT IT.
SO IT CANNOT HAVE A CAMERA.
AND THE TWO TOGETHER ARE REALLY
PERFECT BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE,
SOMETIMES IT IS THAT PARKER
SOLAR PROBE FLIES OVER THE
SURFACE OF THE SUN AT A CERTAIN
MAGNETIC FIELD REGION, AND THEN
SOLAR ORBITER IS WATCHING PARKER
OBSERVE AND CAN ACTUALLY CONNECT
WHAT IT SEES TO THE MAGNETIC
FIELD AND CAN ACTUALLY FEED BACK
THE INFORMATION.
SO IT'S REALLY A PERFECT DREAM,
MARRIAGE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL SNEAK OVER TO THIS SIDE OF
THE ROOM.
>> SO THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY
EXCITING TIME.
JUST TO FOLLOW ON THIS
DISCUSSION, I'M ALWAYS THINKING
ABOUT THE VOYAGER SPACECRAFTS
THAT HAVE CROSSED THAT BOUNDARY.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE AN HOW
THESE SPACECRAFT WILL WORK WITH
THE VOYAGERS TO GIVE A HOLISTIC
VIEW OF THE HELIOSPHERE?
>> SURE, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
OUR FLEET, WE HAVE THESE
SPACECRAFT THAT ARE IN EXACTLY
THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO THE JOB WE
WANT THEM TO DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE NOW KNOW
BECAUSE OF VOYAGER AND IBEX,
WHICH IS IMAGING THAT REGION, WE
HAVE A NEW MISSION COMING
ONLINE, LAUNCHING IN 2024 CALLED
IMAP THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US
VERY UNPRECEDENTED VIEWS OF THAT
BOUNDARY.
SO NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE
CAUSE AND THE EFFECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT AFFECTS
THE EARTH.
WE HAVE GREAT SENTINELS HERE
TELLING US ABOUT OUR SPACE
WEATHER.
NOW WITH SOLAR ORBITER, PARKER
SOLAR PROBE GIVING US ALL THAT
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INNER
HELIOSPHERE, NOW WITH THE
VOYAGER, IBEX, AND EVENTUALLY
IMAP REALLY FOCUSING ON THAT
SORT OF TENUOUS BOUNDARY BETWEEN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND
INTERSTELLAR SPACE.
WE KNOW THAT BOUNDARY CUTS OUT
ABOUT 70% OF THE COSMIC RAYS
THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE.
SO WE KNOW IT'S DOING A GREAT
JOB OF PROTECTING US.
BUT WE ALSO NOW KNOW THAT ENTIRE
HELIOSPHERE BREATHES WITH A
SOLAR CYCLE.
SO IT ACTUALLY SHRINKS AND GROWS
WITH A SOLAR CYCLE.
THE SUN IS HAVING A PROFOUND
EFFECT ON EVERYTHING.
SO WHEREVER WE ARE, NEW HORIZONS
IS GOING TO BE GIVING US GREAT
DATA, NOW PAST PLUTO.
WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE
DATA FROM THERE ALSO.
WE WORK WITH ALL OUR PLANETARY
COLLEAGUES.
EVERYTHING THAT THOMAS
MENTIONED, THE POLES OF JUPITER,
BUT WE PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
WE'RE HELIOPHYSICISTS.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT DATA
ANYWHERE.
WHEREVER YOU GO, WE WANT YOUR
DATA.
>> DO YOU MIND IF I ADD ONE
CONNECTION?
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE
SPACE IN THREE DIMENSIONS, YOU
BASICALLY SAY WHERE DID THE
SOLAR WIND COME FROM?
AT ANY ONE POINT, THE MAJORITY
OF IT DURING OUR SOLAR CYCLE
COMES FROM THE POLAR REGIONS
WE'VE NEVER IMAGED.
DURING SOLAR MINIMUM, WHICH IS
WHERE WE ARE NOW, 80% OR SO COME
FROM A POLAR REGION WE'VE NEVER
IMAGED.
WE'VE FLOWN THROUGH THEM WITH
ULYSSES AND FOUND IT'S REALLY
DIFFERENT THAN THE STUFF WHERE
WE HANG OUT WITH THE EARTH AND
THE OTHER SPACECRAFT.
VOYAGER SAW SOME OF THEM, ALSO
KIND OF GETTING AT THAT EDGE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT FOR
THE FIRST TIME.
THAT SOURCE OF SOLAR WIND.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
OVER HERE, THEN OVER TO THIS
SIDE OF THE ROOM.
>> KEN CRAMER, ROCKET S.T.E.M.
AND SPACE UP CLOSE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS BETWEEN
PARKER AND BETWEEN SOLAR
ORBITER.
WILL THIS HELP CREATE A 3D
PICTURE OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD
AND THE STORMS AND WHAT WILL
THAT GAIN US?
THANKS.
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION.
REALLY, COLLABORATION HAS BEEN
AT THE HEART OF THESE TWO
MISSIONS SINCE THE BEGINNING.
AS OF A FEW DAYS FROM NOW, WE
HAVE A REAL TRAJECTORY WE CAN
CONNECT.
WE'VE ALREADY PREPLANNED FOR THE
LAST YEARS.
ALSO, BECAUSE SOLAR ORBITER IS
NOT A MISSION WHERE YOU CAN
REPLAN ON A DAILY BASIS AND JUST
DRIVE IT WITH A JOY STICK.
WE REALLY NEED TO PLAN MONTHS IN
ADVANCE BECAUSE WE'LL BE SO FAR
AWAY FROM HOME THAT WE NEED TO
BE CAREFUL TO USE OUR ON-BOARD
DATA STORAGE IN THE PROPER WAY
TO DOWNLINK THE DATA WHILE WE
STILL HAVE SPACE TO ADD NEW
DATA.
SO WE REALLY HAVE A LONG-TERM
TIMELINE THAT WE'LL POPULATE,
TOGETHER WITH PARKER SOLAR
PROBE, AND MAKE PLANS AND SEE
WHAT SCIENCE IS BEST DONE AT
WHAT TIMES.
WE'LL TRY TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS
POSSIBLE TO REACT TO CHANGES ON
THE SUN, BUT OVERALL, THE
COLLABORATION IS AT THE HEART OF
DRIVING THIS MISSION
SUCCESSFULLY.
>> I'LL JUST ADD, FROM NASA'S
HELIOPHYSICS DIVISION, WE HAVE A
COORDINATED PROGRAM, A RESEARCH
PROGRAM WE'VE PUT OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY TO REALLY FOCUS ON
LINKING THE MISSIONS.
IT'S SORT OF IN THREE PARTS.
ONE IS LINKING ALL THE OF THE
INNER HELIOSPHERE, ONE IS
LOOKING AT EARTH, ONE IS LOOKING
ALL THE WAY OUT.
IT REALLY IS TO MAKE SURE WE
CAPITALIZE.
WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING OUR
GROUND-BASED COLLEAGUES TO MAKE
SURE EVERY SINGLE ASSET WE HAVE
CAN BE USED TO REALLY ANSWER
THESE QUESTIONS IN A VERY
COORDINATED FASHION.
AS DANIEL SAID, WE'VE WORKED
TOGETHER IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE.
I WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH
DANIEL ON THE COORDINATION OF
THE MISSIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE REALLY
BROADENING IT INTO EVERY
POSSIBLE ASSET.
>> MAYBE JUST TO ILLUMINATE THE
TRICKY BACKGROUND OF SOME OF
THESE PREPARATIONS, BECAUSE
SOLAR ORBITER IS ON A RELATIVELY
LARGE ELLIPTICAL ORBIT.
IT IS GOING CLOSE TO THE SUN,
BUT THEN IT COMES BACK TO THE
EARTH.
WHEN IT'S CLOSE TO THE EARTH, WE
CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD A LOT OF
DATA.
THEN WE DON'T HAVE THE SUN CLOSE
BY.
WHEN WE ARE CLOSER TO THE SUN,
IT'S A FACTOR OF TEN LESS DATA,
SO WE HAVE TO STORE THEM IN
BETWEEN.
THEN PARKER PROBE HAS ITS OWN
ORBIT.
SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TWO
ORBITS.
YOU HAVE TO MATCH THEM UP SO
THEY ARE KIND OF ALIGNED AT THE
POSITION YOU WANT THEM.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN A LOT.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THESE
PRECIOUS MOMENTS WHEN PARKER AND
SOLAR ARE ACTUALLY RIGHT IN THE
SAME DIRECTION ARE REALLY LOOKED
AT FAVORABLY.
>> I'LL SAY IT DOES HAPPEN MORE
OFTEN THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
WE GOT VERY EXCITED WHEN WE
STARTED LOOKING AT ALL THE
DIFFERENT -- THERE'S THE RADIAL,
THEN THE SPIRAL.
THERE'S LOADS OF GREAT SCIENCE
WE CAN DO.
>> AND IT'S PRECISELY RELATED TO
THE QUESTION HE ASKED.
THE GOAL IS TO GET
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES
COMING OUT.
WE'LL GET IT FOR THE FIRST TIME
BECAUSE WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT
IT FROM THAT AND FROM THE INSIDE
WITH PARKER BEING LOW AND
LOOKING OUT SIDEWAYS.
THEN SOLAR ORBITER THIS WAY,
USING THE EARTH AS A THIRD
VANTAGE POINT.
IT HAS NOT OCCURRED THAT WE HAD
THAT KIND OF DATA.
>> FANTASTIC.
LET'S COME ON OVER HERE.
YES, SIR?
>> HI.
I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON A
COMMENT THAT I THINK GUENTHER
MADE ABOUT THE PEEPHOLES.
I BELIEVE IF I HEARD CORRECTLY
IN THE PRIOR PRELAUNCH BRIEFING
THAT THOSE WINDOWS ARE -- ONCE
THE SPACECRAFT APPROACHES THE
SUN, THOSE WINDOWS ARE OPENED
FOR TEN DAYS.
THEN THEY CLOSE.
SO I WONDER, IS THAT ACCURATE?
IS MY UNDERSTANDING ACCURATE?
BEHIND THAT WINDOW, IS IT
SOMETHING LIKE A CAMERA THAT HAS
A SHUTTER, AND IT TAKES A LOOK
AT SOMETHING, MEASURES
SOMETHING, AND THEN ARE
DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS LINKED TO
THE SAME WINDOW?
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> SO THERE ARE SIX REMOTE
SENSING INSTRUMENTS,.
SPECTROMETER, X-RAY IMAGEER, THE
INSTRUMENT THAT MEASURES THE
SOUND OF THE SUN, SOLAR
VIBRATIONS.
THEY ARE BEHIND THESE PEEPHOLES.
PEEPHOLES ARE ONLY OPENED WHEN
THOSE INSTRUMENTS ARE OBSERVING.
I THINK THIS IS A TEN-DAY
PERIOD.
>> RIGHT.
BEING SCIENTISTS, WE ALWAYS WANT
TO PUSH THINGS BEYOND THE LIMIT.
SO FOR ALL ENGINEERS IN THE
ROOM, YES, IT WILL BE TEN DAYS.
FOR EVERYONE ELSE, LET'S SEE.
MAYBE WE CAN EXTEND IT.
EVERYTHING IS DOUBLE FAIL SAFE.
THESE DOORS, THE SLIDING DOORS
ARE THE PRIMARY SAFEGUARD IN
CASE ANYTHING SHOULD FAIL
INTERNALLY.
IF THE WINDOW TO ONE OF THE
CAMERAS BREAKS, WE STILL HAVE
THE WINDOW TO KEEP THE WHOLE
SPACECRAFT SAFE.
EVEN WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN, WE
HAVE DEVELOPED NEW TECHNOLOGIES,
NEW COATINGS FOR HEAT REJECTING
ENTRANCE WINDOWS THAT KEEP MOST
OF THE HEAT AWAY AND ONLY
TRANSMIT A SMALL PART OF THE
SPECTRUM WE'RE MEASURING.
THE TEN-DAY WINDOWS ARE CENTERED
AROUND THE MOST INTERESTING
PARTS OF THE ORBIT, CLOSEST
APPROACH, HIGHEST LATITUDE OF
THE POLAR OBSERVATIONS.
WE HOPE, IDEALLY, TO TAKE SOME
OBSERVATIONS IN BETWEEN, ALSO TO
HELP OTHER OBSERVATORIES LIKE
PARKER SOLAR PROBE, GET THE FULL
3D VIEW.
IN ADDITION, MAYBE THAT'S ONE
THING WORTH MENTIONING, IS WE
HAVE THIS WIDE FIELD CORONAGRAPH
THAT LOOKS SIDEWAY OVER THE HEAT
SHIELD.
IT'S IMAGING THE ENTIRE SPACE
SIDEWAYS TO THE SUN.
THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO AN
INSTRUMENT ON PARKER SOLAR
PROBE.
IN FACT, BUILT BY THE SAME TEAM.
THAT IS IN A WAY OUR FISH-EYE
LENS TO GET THE BIG PICTURE.
>> THESE DOORS BEHIND THE
WINDOWS, THEY ACT AS KIND OF A
SHUTTER, SIMILAR TO WHAT A
CAMERA DOES?
>> THE DOORS ARE THE OUTER MOST
PART.
THEY'RE ON THE HEAT SHIELD.
SO THEY ARE PROTECTING -- I
THINK WE HAD A VIDEO OF THAT AS
WELL.
THEY'RE PROTECTING EVERYTHING ON
THE OUTSIDE.
IT'S LIKE THE LENS CAP.
THESE ARE THE LENS CAP, AND
THEY'RE SLIDING BECAUSE THERE'S
NO ARM THERE TO TAKE THEM OFF.
SO THEY'RE SLIDING DOORS.
BEHIND THAT, WE HAVE DIFFERENT
MECHANISMS DEPENDING ON THE
TELESCOPE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE X-RAY TELESCOPE
ONLY MEASURES X-RAYS.
IT HAS A BERYLLIUM ENTRANCE
WINDOW.
ANOTHER INSTRUMENT LETS MORE OR
LESS ALL THE LIGHT IN.
IT GOES OUT AGAIN THROUGH THE
SIDE OF THE SPACECRAFT.
THAT'S THE WAY OF DEALING WITH
HEAT.
THE OTHER ONE HAS A SPECIAL
COATING THAT REFLECTS ALL THE
THERMAL RADIATION THAT ONLY LETS
A SMALL PIECE OF THE RAINBOW
THROUGH.
>> GREAT.
LET'S TAKE IT BACK OVER TO THIS
SIDE OF THE ROOM.
>> STEVEN YOUNG WITH ASTRONOMY
NOW.
WE HEARD IN THE BRIEFING EARLIER
THAT THE INSTRUMENTS ARE LINKED
IN SOME WAYS SO THEY CAN REACT
IF ONE INSTRUMENT SPOTS
SOMETHING.
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
IS THAT LIKE SOME KIND OF
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THAT
REWRITES YOUR SCIENCE PROGRAM ON
THE FLY?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
THIS IS EXCELLENT BECAUSE THIS
IS SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE
EXPLAINED IN MORE DETAIL EARLY
ON.
WE HAVE AN ON-BOARD
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHICH USES
THE ON-BOARD WIRING.
IT'S CALLED A SPACE WIRE SYSTEM
FOR THE INSTRUMENTS TO TALK TO
EACH OTHER.
SO THEY'RE SOME SORT OF
BROADCAST SERVICE, ALMOST LIKE A
RADIO.
EACH INSTRUMENT CAN SEND
INFORMATION ON THAT BROADCAST,
AND EACH OTHER INSTRUMENT CAN
OPT TO LISTEN AND THEN REACT TO
IT.
SO THE PRIMARY MODE WILL BE THE
X-RAY IMAGEER WILL DETECT THE
FLARE BECAUSE THAT'S THE FASTEST
INFORMATION PROPAGATION FROM THE
SUN TO US, THE SPEED OF LIGHT.
THE X-RAY INSTRUMENT WILL SAY,
LOOK, I SAW A FLARE, AND FLAG
THAT TO EVERYONE ELSE.
SO THEN THE SYSTEM WILL SAY,
LOOK, THERE WAS A FLARE, DO YOU
WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
THEN THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS COULD
GO INTO A BURST MODE AND ACQUIRE
DATA AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLY
CADENCE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF
TIME.
A LITTLE LIKE SPORTS
PHOTOGRAPHY.
THEN WHEN THE PERIOD IS OVER,
THEY WILL JUST GO BACK TO
NORMAL.
>> GREAT.
BACK TO YOU, MARSHA, AT THE
FRONT OF THE ROOM, PLEASE.
>> FOR GUENTHER, YOU MENTIONED
ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE
THE SOUNDS OF THE SUN.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT, AND HAS ANY
OTHER SOLAR OBSERVATORY DONE
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> YES, THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED
HELIOSEISMOLOGY.
IT'S ACTUALLY A STRONGLY
DEVELOPING FIELD.
ASTROSEISMOLOGY IS NOW BECOMING
VERY IMPORTANT.
THE SUN IS A BIG BALL OF FIRE.
IT HAS MODES THAT ARE
OSCILLATING.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE LIGHT
OF THE SUN AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE
OSCILLATIONS, AND WE DO THIS
REGULARLY NOW WITH OTHER STARS.
WE CAN MEASURE, FOR INSTANCE,
THEIR COMPOSITION INSIDE, AGE,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WITH THE SUN, YOU CAN DO THAT.
IN INTEGRAL SUNLIGHT, YOU SEE
THOSE MODES.
WHEN YOU THEN LOOK IN GREAT
DETAIL, YOU CAN SEE THESE
OSCILLATIONS LOCALLY.
THAT IS WHAT THIS SOUND
INSTRUMENT IS DOING.
>> AND IT WAS FIRST DONE WITH
SOHO AND THEN SDO HAS A
DEDICATED INSTRUMENT TO DO IT,
SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY.
>> SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD
THIS, AND WE CAN ALL LISTEN IN.
IS THAT THEORETICALLY WHAT WILL
BE --
>> YES.
>> GREAT.
>> FANTASTIC.
WE HAVE SOME SOCIAL MEDIA
QUESTIONS OVER HERE.
>> KENNY ON TWITTER WANTS TO
KNOW HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE SOLAR
ORBITER TO GET TO THE SUN?
>> SO WE'LL HAVE A PHASE OF JUST
UNDER TWO YEARS TO GET TO FULL
OPERATIONAL ORBIT WHERE WE GET
ALL THE WAY INTO THE MERCURY
DISTANCE.
HOWEVER, ALREADY IN JUNE THIS
YEAR, SO JUST FOUR MONTHS AFTER
LAUNCH, WE'LL APPROACH THE SUN
TO HALF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US
HERE ON EARTH AND THE SUN.
THAT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME WE'LL
ACTUALLY GET REALLY NEW AND
EXCITING DATA.
>> DIRK WAGNER ON TWITTER WANTS
TO KNOW, WILL SOLAR ORBITER
ORBIT THE SUN ESSENTIALLY
FOREVER AFTER THE END OF THE
MISSION, OR WILL IT CRASH INTO
THE SUN AT SOME POINT IN THE
FUTURE?
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION.
WE HAVE NOT DECIDED YET.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS WE
COULD TAKE IT.
AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ENGINEERS IN
THE ROOM, YOU MIGHT DISAGREE,
BUT WE COULD TRY, FOR EXAMPLE,
TO GET UNPRECEDENTED DATA FROM
THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS.
OUR INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT
DESIGNED TO GO INTO VENUS, BUT
THAT WOULD BE A SAFE WAY.
ALSO IN TERMS OF PLANETARY
PROTECTION, TO CRASH THE SPACE
CRAFT INTO VENUS.
MAYBE YOU COULD TRY TO BRING IT
A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE SUN,
BEYOND THE TECHNICAL
CAPABILITIES THAT WE KNOW IT
WILL SURVIVE, JUST TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENS, GET EVEN BETTER IMAGES.
OR WE COULD JUST TRY TO USE THE
LAST PUSH TO GET IT EVEN
SLIGHTLY HIGHER OUT OF THE
PLAINS.
THESE ARE ALL OPTIONS, AND
DEPENDING ON THE DATA WE GET IN
THE NEXT TEN YEARS, WE MIGHT
DECIDE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
>> JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT,
THE PHASE WHERE WE ARE BUILDING
THE ORBIT SO WE CAN ACTUALLY
REACH THE POLES WILL ONLY HAPPEN
AFTER THE INITIAL PHASE.
SO WE WILL OBSERVE FOR FIVE
YEARS.
THEN FOR THREE OR FOUR MORE
YEARS, WE WILL GO HIGHER AND
HIGHER AND HIGHER.
THAT IS IN PRINCIPLE ONLY
DEPENDENT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF
THE INSTRUMENT AND ALSO OF THE
FUNDING FOR THE OPERATION.
IF WE DO GREAT WORK, I'M
CONVINCED WE WILL -- SOHO IS
WORKING SINCE 25 YEARS.
SO NO NEED TO SHORTCUT THAT.
>> ONE MORE.
MATT WANTS TO KNOW, HOW DOES THE
SUN AND SOLAR STORMS INFLUENCE
US HERE ON EARTH?
>> SO WE LIVE IN THE ATMOSPHERE
OF THE SUN.
THE SOLAR WIND CONTINUALLY MOVES
AWAY, BATHES ALL THE PLANETS.
WE ARE DEEP IN THAT ATMOSPHERE.
EVERY TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS ON
THE SUN, WE FEEL THE IMPACT HERE
AT EARTH, ASSUMING IT'S FACING
US.
SO YOU SAY WHEN THE SUN SNEEZES,
THE EARTH CATCHES A COLD.
WE FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE SUN.
IT AFFECTS OUR TECHNOLOGY.
IT CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR GPS,
SPACECRAFT, ANY SPACECRAFT IN
ORBIT, IF THEY'RE IN OR AROUND
THE VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELT.
IT CAN ENGULF A SPACECRAFT THAT
ISN'T DESIGNED TO BE IN THERE.
WE SEE ISSUES WITH POWER GRIDS,
WITH PIPELINES.
WE OBVIOUSLY SEE BEAUTIFUL
AURORA TOO, WHICH IS MY FAVORITE
BIT.
AND OBVIOUSLY FOR US AT NASA,
PROTECTING OUR ASTRONAUTS IS
PART OF THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM, IS
OF HIGH IMPORTANCE TO US, MAKING
SURE WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WILL BE
LIVING AND WORKING IN.
ALL YOUR TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY
IMPACTED BY EVERYTHING COMING
FROM THE SUN.
>> LET ME JUST ADD TO THAT.
A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS AN
ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS THE LEAST
KNOWN ELEMENT OF SPACE WEATHER
FORECASTING.
IT BASICALLY SAID WITHOUT ANY
UNCERTAINTY THAT IT'S THE NEAR
SOLAR ENVIRONMENT.
SO FOR US, GOING WITH PARKER AND
WITH SOLAR ORBITER TO EXPLORE
THAT SPACE REALLY ADDRESSES THAT
IN A FASHION THAT IS
UNPRECEDENTED.
THE GOAL IS NOT ONLY TO HAVE
THAT UNDERSTANDING BUT TO PUT
THAT UNDERSTANDING INTO MODELS,
ESPECIALLY AS WE GO WITH
ASTRONAUTS OUTSIDE OF THE
EARTH
AND ON TO MARS.
WE NEED TO PREDICT FAR AWAY FROM
THE EARTH PRECISELY WHERE THESE
MODELS WILL HAVE THE MOST POWER
AND WILL ACTUALLY HELP IN A
DIRECT FASHION THESE ASTRONAUTS
THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT
NOW.
>> GREAT.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS
IN THE ROOM.
>> SKY NEWS CANADA.
THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT
DELAYS IN THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED
BACK IN 2012.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY IMPROVEMENTS
OR UPGRADES TO THE INSTRUMENTS
WHILE WAITING FOR LAUNCH?
>> I CAN TRY TO START, THEN I
WILL HAND OVER TO DANIEL.
SO I THINK THE PROBLEMS ARE WHEN
YOU'RE DEVELOPING COMPLETELY NEW
TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE HAD TO DO
FOR SOLAR ORBITER, WE ALSO HAD
TO DO IT FOR COLUMBO.
WHEN YOU'RE FACING THE SUN,
THEY'RE GETTING SO HOT THEY
WOULDN'T WORK ANYMORE.
SO WE HAD TO PUT THEM ON AN
ANGLE.
THIS INTRICATE HEAT SHIELD AND
ALL OF THAT.
SO THE WHOLE SUITE OF
INSTRUMENTS IS REALLY AT THE
TOPNOTCH, FOREFRONT OF
TECHNOLOGY.
YOU DO THESE FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THESE THINGS.
THEN YOU CAN PREDICT HOW LONG IT
WILL TAKE, BUT IN THE END, IT
TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
THE PROBLEM, YOU DON'T WANT TO
COMPROMISE ON QUALITY.
SO WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE
UP ON THE EXCELLENCE OF SCIENCE.
AND THEREFORE, WE HAD TO ACCEPT
THE DELAY, BUT I THINK SINCE
ABOUT TWO YEARS OR SO, WE HAVE
BEEN STRAIGHT ON, ON OUR
PROGRAMS.
SO THIS IS LIFE IN SPACE.
WE TRY TO IMPROVE ON THAT, BUT I
THINK WE ARE DOING THINGS FOR
THE FIRST TIME, AND YOU NEVER
KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
>> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
ULTIMATELY, SPACE IS HARD.
WE SEE THAT EVERY TIME NEW
COUNTRIES GET INVOLVED.
IT'S MUCH EASIER TO BUILD
SOMETHING GROUND BASED AND TRY
IT OUT.
BUT HERE WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE
THIS ONE CHANCE.
WE JUST NEED TO GET IT RIGHT THE
FIRST TIME.
THIS IS WHY WE BUILD, WE
PROTOTYPE, AND WE TEST.
WE NEED TO ITERATE IT UNTIL
WE'RE CONVINCED IT WILL WORK.
IDEALLY, YOU GET IT RIGHT THE
FIRST TIME.
OFTEN YOU FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
THE PROBLEM WHILE YOU'RE TRYING
TO SOLVE IT, AND ULTIMATELY,
THAT GIVES YOU THE BETTER
SOLUTION.
YES, IT DOES TAKE OFTEN A BIT
LONGER.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT.
THE HEAT SHIELD THAT WE HAVE IS
A COMPLETELY NEW DESIGN.
WE COULD NOT REUSE THE ONE
BECAUSE IT'S A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT MISSION.
IT ALSO COULDN'T BE ONE LIKE
PARKER SOLAR PROBE HAD BECAUSE
WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK
THROUGH IT AND HAVE THESE
PEEPHOLES.
IT'S A TWO-LEVEL DESIGN WHERE WE
HAVE A BOTTOM LAYER THAT'S
ALUMINUM COVERED IN CARBON FIBER
SKINS.
THOSE WERE DIFFICULT BECAUSE
THEY STILL HAD TO WITHSTAND
TEMPERATURES OF ABOUT 300
DEGREES CENTIGRADE.
THEN THERE'S A GAP.
ABOVE THAT GAP, THERE'S ALMOST A
FLOPPY PLAYER OF TITANIUM WITH A
PARTICULAR COATING WE CALL SOLAR
BLACK, WHICH IS COMPLETELY NEW
FOR SPACE.
SO THERE HAS BEEN APPLICATIONS
ON EARTH DERIVED FROM SPACE
MATERIALS.
THIS ONE WAS ACTUALLY THE OTHER
WAY AROUND.
PEOPLE HAD DEVELOPED A COATING
FOR TITANIUM IMPLANTS FOR
HUMANS, AND THEY REALIZED THAT
THE TITANIUM WOULD BOND BETTER
TO HUMAN BONES IF IT HAD A
COATING MADE OUT OF ROUGHLY THE
SAME MATERIAL, CALCIUM
PHOSPHATE.
THEN THEY FOUND OUT THIS
MATERIAL WAS UNIQUE.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY RESISTANT TO
EVERYTHING.
SO YOU CAN MAKE IT BLACK, AND IT
CAN NEVER GET ANY BLACKER.
IT WILL ALSO NOT DEGRADE OVER
TIME OR EVAPORATE.
WE THOUGHT, THIS IS OUR
MATERIAL.
BUT OF COURSE, IT HADN'T BEEN
QUALIFIED FOR SPACE.
SO THAT TOOK EXTRA TIME TO
REALLY GET THAT QUALIFICATION.
IT'S A SMALL COMPANY, A
START-UP, AND WE'RE PROUD AND
THEY'RE PROUD THAT THEY'VE NOW
MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO SPACE.
>> AND YOU WERE ASKING WHETHER
THE INSTRUMENTS WERE USING THIS
EXTRA TIME TO GET IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK IT WAS IN A SENSE A
TWO-WAY STREET BECAUSE THE
INSTRUMENTS ALSO WENT TO NEW
TECHNOLOGIES.
SOME OF THEM TOOK LONGER THAN
THEY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.
I THINK THE GOOD THING IS REALLY
WE HAVE EVERYTHING UP THERE ON
THE ROCKET NOW AT THE QUALITY
THAT WAS ANTICIPATED BEFORE AND
EVEN BETTER.
FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE BIG
ISSUES IN THIS SENSITIVE
ENVIRONMENT IS THE
CONTAMINATION.
YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE DIRT IN
YOUR SPACECRAFT OR IN YOUR
ENVIRONMENT.
SO CONTAMINATION CONTROL WAS A
HUGE EFFORT.
NOW WE KNOW THAT THE
CONTAMINATION THAT WE HAVE ON
THE SPACECRAFT IS ACTUALLY TEN
TIMES MORE THAN -- MORE THAN TEN
TIMES BETTER THAN WAS SPECIFIED.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OVERDONE
IT, BUT IT IS THE CLEANEST
SPACECRAFT THAT HAS EVER BEEN
LAUNCHED.
>> BACK TO STEVE YOUNG.
>> STEVEN YOUNG WITH ASTRONOMY
NOW.
YOU SAID WHAT A GREAT TIME IT IS
TO BE IN HELIOPHYSICS, BUT WITH
THE CURRENT FLEET AND WITH SOLAR
ORBITER COMING IN, WHAT GAPS
REMAIN IN YOUR ABILITY TO STUDY
THE SUN?
AND IF YOU WON THE NASA BUDGET,
HOW WOULD YOU FILL THOSE GAPS?
>> WOW.
SO I WOULD LIKE A FLEET OF
SPACECRAFT ALL THE WAY AROUND
THE SUN, BOTH AROUND THE EQUATOR
AND OVER THE POLES, CONTINUALLY
LOOKING DOWN.
IF I WON THE NASA BUDGET, THAT'S
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO.
I THINK TO THOMAS' POINT, REALLY
GETTING IN AND UNDERSTANDING THE
INNER HELIOSPHERE.
WE'RE STARTING TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS WITH PARKER SOLAR
PROBE.
SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO START
ANSWERING QUESTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO START
ASKING QUESTIONS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE THE UNKNOWN
UNKNOWNS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE THINGS YOU
NEED TO DESIGN THE NEXT MISSIONS
FOR.
REALLY UNDERSTANDING THIS INNER
HELIOSPHERE, UNDERSTANDING THE
POLES IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE MANY CONCEPTS OUT
THERE AS WE MOVE INTO OUR NEXT
DECADE.
THERE ARE MANY SCIENTISTS WHO
WOULD LIKE TO DO, YOU KNOW, A
DEDICATED KIND OF POLE FITTER
GOING OVER THE POLES INSTEAD OF
SITTING THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S A VERY HOT, EXCUSE THE PUN,
REGION OF SCIENCE.
ALSO, LEAVING THE HELIOSPHERE
WITH A DEDICATED MISSION TO
STUDY THAT BOUNDARY THAT
PROTECTS US FROM INTERSTELLAR
SPACE.
BUT FROM MY OWN PERSONAL THING,
SUPPORTING OUR ARTEMIS MISSION,
MAKING SURE WE'RE MAKING THE
MEASUREMENTS THAT ARE SO KEY TO
BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR
ASTRONAUT, PARTICULARLY AS THEY
LEAVE THE PROTECTIVE BUBBLE OF
THE EARTH'S MAGNETOSPHERE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SUPPORT THAT
PROGRAM AND ALREADY LOOKING AT
PUTTING INSTRUMENTS ON THE FIRST
LAUNCH OF GATEWAY.
SO LOTS OF EXCITING THINGS, BUT
A NICE STRING OF PEARLS ALL THE
WAY AROUND THE SUN.
THAT'D BE REALLY NICE.
>> DO YOU MIND IF I ADD?
IT'S REALLY A PROFOUND QUESTION
BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU DON'T
KNOW.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS RESEARCH
YET, RIGHT.
SO WHEN WE DID SOHO, I WAS A
GRAD STUDENT THEN.
I WENT TO THESE MEETINGS.
YOU TALKED ABOUT LISTENING TO
THE SOUNDS OF THE SUN AND
LEARNING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE
THERE.
IT GAVE A FEW RESULTS THAT ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
HOW EXACTLY THE STRUCTURE IS,
HOW THE MATERIAL TURNS OVER.
YOU SAW THAT MOVIE IN THE
SHORT-TIME SPATIAL SCALE.
THERE'S ALSO A LARGER SPATIAL
SCALE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE RESULTS WAS THERE
WERE FLOES TOWARDS THE POLE.
IT TURNS OUT THE FLOES WERE AT
THE SAME KIND OF TEMPO SCALE AS
THE SOLAR ACTIVITY CYCLE, WHICH
IS WHY DANIEL SAID WHAT IT IS.
SO YOU TAKE ALL THE MODELS THAT
EXIST AS A RESULT OF THOSE DAY
-- DATA, AND WHERE ARE THEY
DIFFERENT?
IT'S HOW THEY DEAL WITH THE
POLAR REGIONS.
DOES IT SUBMERGE?
HOW DOES IT WORK?
THE ANSWER IS, THAT'S THE REAL
QUESTION WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
GUESS WHY SOLAR ORBITER GOES OUT
OF THE POLAR REGIONS?
FROM ULYSSES, WE SAW THE SOLAR
WIND IS SO FUNDAMENTALLY
DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE
MEASUREMENTS THAT WERE PIONEERED
THERE, MEASUREMENTS IMPROVED
UPON 10X, IS THE MEASUREMENTS
SOLAR ORBITER IS DOING.
FOR ME, THE QUESTION NOW IS
REALLY A QUESTION THAT FRANKLY
WHEN WE STARTED WITH SOHO, WE
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO ASK.
IT'S A QUESTION WE NOW KNOW
RELATES TO ALL OF STELLAR
ACTIVITY.
IT'S NOT JUST OUR OWN STAR.
IT'S HOW THAT WORKS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING WITH
INTEREST AT OTHER MAGNETIC
BODIES.
LIKE JUPITER AND SATURN.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT'S SIMILAR
SCIENCE.
THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD IS
ALSO CHANGING.
THE POLE IS MOVING DOWN.
THE MAGNETIC FIELD IS A LOT
WEAKER THAN WHEN I WAS LOOKING
UP IN SOME BOOK WHAT THE
MAGNETIC FIELD IS, RIGHT.
THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD IS
ALSO CHANGING.
WHY?
THAT'S THE KIND OF QUESTION
WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
FOR ME, WHAT'S THE QUESTION
WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW?
OF COURSE, THE ARTEMIS THING IS
SOMETHING VERY DEEP, VERY
MOTIVATING TO US BECAUSE OF THE
IMMEDIATE MOTIVATION.
WE WANT THAT IN A FEW YEARS,
RIGHT?
WE WANT TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE.
BUT THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
AFTERWARDS IS REALLY THE ONE
THAT WE'RE AFTER NOW.
WE DON'T KNOW YET.
FAIR?
>> MAYBE I CAN ADD SOMETHING,
WHICH IS TRUE FOR ALL OF
SCIENCE.
WE KNOW OUR KNOWLEDGE INCREASES
EXPONENTIALLY, BUT WITH EVERY
NEW DISCOVERY, WE OPEN A DOOR
AND SEE TEN MORE CLOSED DOORS WE
DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO OUR IGNORANCE GROWS FASTER
THAN OUR KNOWLEDGE.
SO WE WILL NOT GO OUT OF JOBS
SOON.
>> I GUESS I'LL JUST THROW IN
ONE OF THE REASONS I CONTINUALLY
SAY IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A
HELIOPHYSICIST IS THERE ARE SO
MANY GREAT NEW MISSIONS.
THERE ARE GREAT NEW MISSIONS
BEING PROPOSED.
WE HAVE SEVERAL MORE IN THE
QUEUE ALREADY LAUNCHING IN THE
NEXT FEW YEARS.
NOBODY YET ASKED ME WHY I'M SO
EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR
BRANCH OF SCIENCE, BUT IT IS
BECAUSE IT IS SO PROFOUND.
IT HAS SO MANY IMPACTS.
PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
BUT THE ABILITY TO GO AND STUDY
A STAR UP CLOSE, IT'S GOING TO
BE A WHILE UNTIL WE CAN STUDY
ANOTHER STAR UP CLOSE.
I SAID A WHILE.
NOT INFINITE.
IT WILL BE SOON.
BUT MY GOD, WE'RE STUDYING A
STAR.
WE'RE RIGHT UP CLOSE TO A STAR.
IT'S AMAZING.
SO YOU CAN JUST SAY SO MANY MORE
THINGS ABOUT OTHER STARS,
STELLAR SYSTEMS.
WE KNOW THEY HAVE STELLAR
STORMS.
AS THOMAS SAID, AS WE LOOK FOR
EXOPLANETS AND OTHER PLACES THAT
ARE HABITABLE ZONES, OTHER
GOLDILOCKS REGIONS, STUDYING OUR
STAR IS THE WAY TO DO IT.
IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A
HELIOPHYSICIST.
>> GREAT.
WE'LL GO TO SIMON HERE IN THE
BACK.
>> I IMAGINE THAT YOU'LL HAVE A
DEEP SENSE OF RELIEF WHEN YOU
SEE IT SAFELY ON ITS WAY ON
SUNDAY.
BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO COPE
WITH THE TENSION OVER THE NEXT
TWO YEARS BEFORE YOU START
GETTING DATA BACK FROM THE
SPACECRAFT?
>> OKAY.
SO LUCKILY WE'LL HAVE A SOFT
START AFTER THE ROCKET LAUNCH
THAT WILL REALLY TEST THE
ABILITY OF THE SPACECRAFT TO ITS
LIMITS.
ONCE WE'RE IN SPACE, IT'S
SMOOTH, WE'LL XHIPGS THE
INSTRUMENTS, MEANING CHECKING
OUT ALL THE SUBSYSTEMS, MAKING
SURE EVERYTHING WORKS.
BUT THEN HOPEFULLY BY JUNE, THE
SENSE OF TOUCH INSTRUMENTS, THE
PARTICLE SENSORS AND FIELD
SENSORS WILL ALREADY BE
OPERATING.
FOR THEM, SCIENCE IS STARTING
ALREADY IN JUNE, WHICH IS
FANTASTIC.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, PARKER
SOLAR PROBE HAS ONE ALMOST AT
THE SAME TIME.
SO WE ARE ALREADY DOING SCIENCE
WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.
THAT WILL SURELY KEEP US BUSY
UNTIL NOVEMBER 2021 WHEN WE'LL
THEN START THE FULL MISSION OF
ALL INSTRUMENTS.
>> AND YOU NEVER RELAX,
ACTUALLY.
PARKER SOLAR PROBE JUST CAME OUT
OF HER FOURTH AND I JUST
BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF.
I'M GETTING READY FOR THE FIFTH
ONE, WHEN I'LL GO BACK INTO
PANIC MODE.
>> MAYBE JUST TO ADD, WE HAVE
LAUNCHED THE COLUMBO, AS YOU
KNOW, ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO.
THIS WILL BE ON ITS WAY FOR
SEVEN YEARS.
IT IS THREE SPACECRAFTS.
THE CAMERAS WILL NOT SEE
ANYTHING BEFORE THE STACK IS
UNMOUNTED.
STILL, WE TRY TO DO SCIENCE AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
FOR INSTANCE, THE FLY BYS, WHEN
WE FLY BY VENUS, FLY BY EARTH.
WE GET A LOT OF ADDITIONAL
EXCITEMENT.
WE'LL NEVER SLEEP FOR SEVEN
YEARS.
>> WE HAVE TIME FOR TWO MORE
QUESTIONS.
HERE, PLEASE.
>> THE BENEFITS OF THIS MISSION
ARE PRETTY PROFOUND AND VERY
IMPORTANT ON THE BASIS OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND ALSO OF TRAVEL TO
OTHER PLANETS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO
TELL MY READERS, FOR THE AVERAGE
PERSON ON THE STREET, IN THE
RELATIVELY NEAR TERM, NOT 100
YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT'S IN IT FOR
THEM?
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT I CAN
TELL MY READERS THAT THEY WILL
BENEFIT FROM IN THEIR LIFETIMES
OR EVEN NEXT YEAR OR TEN YEARS
FROM NOW?
>> YES, I THINK THEY WILL.
IN PARTICULAR, THE EFFECTS THAT
THE SUN HAS ON OUR STRUCTURE ARE
HUMONGOUS.
THERE HAVE BEEN EVENTS IN THE
PAST WHERE OUR TECHNOLOGY WAS
NOT YET SO DEVELOPED, BUT THERE
WAS ALREADY HUGE EFFECTS.
FOR INSTANCE, THERE WAS ONE
EVENT WHERE THE TELEGRAPH
STATIONS, THE PAPERS STARTED TO
BURN BECAUSE THE SUN HAS
INFLUENCED THE POWER LINES.
THERE WAS AN EVENT LAST CENTURY
WHEN THE NORTH OF CANADA, THE
WHOLE NORTH OF CANADA WAS
COMPLETELY BLOCKED OUT.
THE POWER STATIONS WERE KIND OF
LIKE DOMINOS FALLING OUT BECAUSE
THE SUN WAS AFFECTING THE GRID.
I THINK WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE
BIGGEST SOLAR EVENTS YET.
I THINK IN THE PAST THERE WERE
BIGGER ONES.
IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, IT COULD
REALLY HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON
ALL THE SATELLITES, THE GPS
SATELLITES, ALL THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN SPACE.
IT IS A REAL DIRECT, EVEN
FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT THIS KIND
OF STUDY HAS.
>> AND I THINK YOU MADE A REALLY
GOOD POINT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE TECHNOLOGY, SO WE DIDN'T
KNOW THE IMPACTS.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN NOW BIG EVENTS.
ONE WENT OFF A FEW YEARS AGO,
OFF THE SIDE OF THE SUN.
WE DIDN'T KNOW TO LOOK FOR THAT
BEFORE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INSTRUMENTS
TO BE ABLE TO LOOK FOR THAT
BEFORE.
BUT WHEN WE MODELED THE IMPACT,
IT ACTUALLY HIT ONE OF OUR
STEREO SPACECRAFT, AND WE WERE
ABLE TO TAKE THE DATA.
WHEN IT WAS MODELED, IT WAS SAID
THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LARGER
STORM THAN EVEN THE CARRINGTON
EVENT.
THAT WAS, I THINK, 2013.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SO I TALK AT
SCHOOLS A LOT.
I HAVE YOUNG KIDS.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY CARRINGTON
EVENT AND THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
IN THE U.S. WENT DOWN FOR FOUR
DAYS.
THE KIDS LOOK AT ME LIKE, SO
WHAT?
I SAY, NOW, IMAGINE YOU DIDN'T
HAVE YOUR iPAD FOR FOUR DAYS.
PANIC ENSUES IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOBODY REALLY
CARED THAT MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS A
LITTLE INCONVENIENT.
NOW IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IT
WOULD CHANGE LIFE AND SOCIETY AS
WE'VE COME TO RELY ON IT.
SO IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT THING.
>> -- HELP PREDICT WHEN THESE
THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN, OR IS IT
SIMPLY A WAY OF EXPLAINING WHEN
THEY DO HAPPEN, HERE'S WHY?
>> IT'S THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE
MODELS THAT WILL BE SO KEY.
SO YES, RIGHT NOW IF SOMETHING
REALLY BIG HAPPENED AND PARKER
WAS IN THERE, WE WOULD BE ABLE
TO GIVE YOU THE DATA AFTERWARDS
AND UNLOCK IT.
IT'S BY UNDERSTANDING THE
PHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT ARE
GOING ON IN THE INNER
HELIOSPHERE AND THE POLES THAT
SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO ADD,
BEING ABLE TO REALLY ADD THE
PHYSICS TO THE MODELS.
WE KNOW THINGS HAPPEN, BUT WE'RE
NOT QUITE SURE WHY.
WE'VE SEEN SOME SMOKING GUNS IN
THE PARKER DATA ALREADY WITH THE
SWITCH BACKS WE PUBLISHED IN
DECEMBER.
THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING THE
MAGNETIC FIELDS TO COIL AND
RELEASE, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY ADD
ENERGY AND LET IT BE RELEASED
AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THERE ARE
BIG, PHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN THE SUN.
ONCE WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THOSE
ARE, AND AGAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE MAGNETIC FIELD AT THE POLES,
THE PROCESSES THAT ARE HAPPENING
THAT ARE ACTUALLY HEATING THE
CORONA AND ACCELERATING THE
SOLAR WIND, YOU CAN ADD THAT TO
THESE BIG MODELS.
THAT'S WHEN YOU GET THESE
TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS IN
OUR ABILITY TO PREDICT FROM WHAT
WE SEE A NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE,
PREDICTING ACCURATELY WHAT IS
GOING TO IMPACT OUR PLANET.
THEN YOU CAN TAKE DOWN A POWER
GRID, IT'S INCONVENIENT, BUT
THEN YOU START IT BACK UP AGAIN
IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT TO A POWER
GRID FAILING.
>> WE ARE UNFORTUNATELY GOING TO
HAVE TO WRAP UP.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME OTHER
QUESTIONS IN THE ROOM.
I KNOW THERE ARE MORE ANSWERS
YOU WANT TO GIVE.
PEOPLE WILL BE IN THE ROOM.
WE CAN ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS
AFTER WE WRAP UP.
BUT FOR THOSE OF US ON
TELEVISION, WE ARE SAYING
GOOD-BYE FOR NOW.
YOU MAY WATCH THE LAUNCH
STARTING AT ABOUT 10:30 P.M.
EAST COAST TIME ON SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY 9th.
YOU CAN SEE THAT AT
NASA.GOV/LIVE.
FOR MISSION UPDATES, GO TO
NASA.GOV/SOLARORBITER.
WE HOPE YOU'RE AS EXCITED ABOUT
THIS AS WE ARE.
LET'S DO IT.