Mission Overview:
- Launched alongside SPHEREx on March 11, 2025, NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission consists of a constellation of four suitcase-sized satellites.
- Its goal is to study the solar wind—the continuous stream of charged particles ejected from the Sun’s corona that influences space weather and Earth’s technology.
Scientific Objectives:
- Understanding the Transition from Corona to Solar Wind:
- The Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, is over 1,000 times hotter than its surface.
- PUNCH will help determine how the solar wind forms and evolves as it moves away from the Sun.
- Studying Solar Structures and Space Weather:
- The Sun’s magnetic field and solar storms create complex patterns in the solar wind.
- These structures affect Earth’s magnetic field, potentially disrupting satellites and power grids.
- Protecting Space Exploration and Technology:
- The solar wind protects the solar system from cosmic rays but also poses risks to astronauts and spacecraft.
- PUNCH aims to improve space weather predictions, helping to safeguard telecommunications, GPS, and astronauts in deep space.
(Source: NASA)
