Research - Successful launch of "Sunrise III" solar observatory
The Sunrise III solar observatory from the Max-Planck Institute in Goettingen has successfully taken off for its research flight. It was lifted off early in the morning from the Space Center in the northern Swedish city of Kiruna. "We are delighted that the launch was successful today and everything is running smoothly," said Andreas Korpi-Lagg from the Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Goettingen. By the end of the day, "Sunrise III" had reached its final altitude of over 35 kilometers and was functioning without issues.
In the coming days, the observatory is expected to observe a approximately 2,000 kilometer thick layer of the Sun where there are dynamic magnetic fields and hot plasma streams. "Sunrise III" will help us understand dynamic processes in the solar atmosphere better than ever before," said the mission leader Sami K. Solanki. Start attempts were cancelled or aborted at the end of May and beginning of June due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The balloon, without its own propulsion, is expected to fly over the northern Atlantic for the next five to seven days. Since the Sun does not set at this time near the polar circle, "Sunrise III" can record data around the clock. At high altitude, its sight will be barely affected by atmospheric turbulence and it can measure the Sun's ultraviolet radiation more effectively. At the same time, ten ground-based telescopes on the entire planet and four space probes are turning their gaze to the Sun, supporting the mission. The "Sunrise III" is then expected to land in northern Canada. Its two predecessor models provided important data for research during their flights in 2009 and 2013.
- The solar observatory, named Sunrise III, hails from the Max-Planck Institute located in Goettingen, Germany.
- The solar observatory, designed for research in solar physics, is currently on a research flight, having been launched from the Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden.
- After successfully reaching an altitude of over 35 kilometers, the Sunrise III observatory will conduct its research in the dynamic magnetic fields and hot plasma streams of the Sun's approximately 2,000 kilometer thick layer.
- This research in Sweden is supported by ten ground-based telescopes and four space probes worldwide, all focusing on the Sun, as well as the data collected by Sunrise III during its flight over the northern Atlantic.
- Following its research mission, the Sunrise III observatory is expected to land in northern Canada, continuing the legacy of providing crucial data for solar research, much like its predecessor models did in 2009 and 2013.
