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D. M. Hassler (Southwest Research Institute), Solar Probe Science and Technology Definition (STDT)* Team
Solar Probe will experience first hand the processes and conditions in the solar atmosphere that ultimately impact our planet and shape the harsh solar system environment. It will be humanity's first visit to a star and will explore a previously inaccessible region of the inner heliosphere. The 2003 Space Science Enterprise Strategy called for study of a Solar Probe to "fly through the solar atmosphere to answer fundamental questions that can be answered in no other way." The mission received highest priority in the National Academy of Sciences' decadal research strategy in solar and space physics in 2002. Significant advances have been made in the areas of solar and solar wind science, instrument technology, mission resources, and the mission environment since the previous Solar Probe Science Definition Team reports of 1989, 1995, and 1999. Therefore, with the strong support from the international community, NASA's Office of Space Science (OSS) has formed a new Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) to develop an exciting and achievable new mission concept for a Solar Probe mission. It is hoped that this study will be completed this fall with a final report by the end of 2004. This talk provides an update on the progress of the STDT’s efforts.
*Solar Probe Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT): Loren Acton, Marianne Balat, Volker Bothmer, Ray Dirling, Bill Feldman, George Gloeckler, Shadia Habbal, Don Hassler, Geoffrey Landis, Ingrid Mann, Bill Matthaeus, Dave McComas, Ralph McNutt, Dick Mewaldt, Neil Murphy, Leon Ofman, Ed Sittler, Chuck Smith, Marco Velli, and Thomas Zurbuchen
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
© YEAR. The American Astronomical Soceity.