heliophysics
Venus orbiter, lunar constellation and exoplanets telescopes among candidates as China selects new space science missions
The Chinese Academy Sciences is preparing to select a new batch of space missions from proposals to study Earth, the Sun and solar system, and the deeper universe as part of a "New Horizons Program."
NASA selects two heliophysics missions
NASA has selected a spacecraft to study the sun’s corona and a cluster of smallsats to monitor turbulence in the solar wind as its next Explorer-class heliophysics missions.
Op-ed | Space weather bill will fizzle without funding
The PROSWIFT Act is a major step forward in developing a coordinated national space weather plan. But fully realizing the act's objectives will require a commensurate appropriation of funds to ensure the necessary advances in our understanding of the sun.
NASA selects space science cubesat mission
NASA announced March 30 it will fund the development of a cluster of six cubesats that will fly in formation above geostationary orbit to study solar storms.
NASA selects first science payloads for lunar Gateway
NASA announced March 12 it will fly two heliophysics and space weather experiments on the lunar Gateway to collect data to help future human missions to the moon and beyond.
Report highlights progress in heliophysics despite budget challenges
An independent review has concluded that NASA and other agencies have generally done a good job implementing the most recent decadal survey for space physics, despite funding for such programs that was lower than predicted.
NASA selects space weather experiment for ISS
NASA has selected a space weather experiment to fly to the International Space Station as the agency’s heliophysics program seeks to strike a balance between large and small missions.
NASA examines effects of 2017 spending bill on science programs
As members of Congress took credit for NASA funding levels in a fiscal year 2017 omnibus spending bill, the agency’s science leadership is examining how those funds will affect its programs.
Heliophysics Small Explorer Solicitation Set for First Half of 2016
The agency expects to release a draft solicitation by the end of the year for the $115 million mission, which would notionally launch in 2022.
Why Heliophysicists are Taking a Shine to Cubesats
Within NASA, the Heliophysics Division is leading the way when it comes to cubesats that yield useful scientific data. That is partly because the latest Heliophysics decadal, a 10-year science roadmap published in 2012, is much newer than those for the other three NASA science divisions.
NASA Mulls Participation in Sino-European Small Space Mission
U.S. law forbids bilateral cooperation between NASA and China, so the U.S. agency would funnel its contribution to the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer through ESA.
Clarke Succeeds Chenette as NASA Heliophysics Director
Steven Clarke will take over as director of NASA’s roughly $600 million heliophysics division effective June 1, the agency said.
NASA Taps Delta 4 Heavy for Solar Probe Plus Launch
That launch, valued at $389 million, will also use a Star-48 upper-stage motor provided by Orbital ATK.
NASA Gives the Green Light to $200 Million ICON Mission
NASA approved ICON, a small heliophysics mission set to launch no later than October 2017, to proceed into development, the agency announced Nov. 12.
