The National Academy of Sciences has released a decadal survey outlining the future of NASA’s heliophysics division. The survey, which is conducted every 10 years, provides a comprehensive review of the current state of heliophysics research and recommends new missions and priorities for the next decade. This year’s survey has recommended two flagship missions for NASA, focusing on exploring the Sun’s influence on the solar system and the Earth’s magnetic field.
The first recommended mission is the “Solar Orbiter Plus” (SOP), which would build upon the success of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Solar Orbiter mission. SOP would launch in the late 2020s and would explore the Sun’s polar regions, providing unprecedented insights into the Sun’s magnetic field and its impact on the solar system. The mission would also study the solar wind, coronal mass ejections, and the Sun’s influence on the Earth’s magnetic field.
The second recommended mission is the “Magnetosphere and Aurora Dynamics Experiment” (MADE), which would focus on understanding the Earth’s magnetic field and its interactions with the solar wind. MADE would launch in the early 2030s and would consist of a constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth, providing high-resolution observations of the Earth’s magnetic field and its response to solar and space weather events.
Both missions are designed to address key questions in heliophysics, such as how the Sun’s magnetic field affects the solar system, how the Earth’s magnetic field responds to solar and space weather events, and how these interactions impact the Earth’s climate and habitability.
The decadal survey also emphasizes the importance of continued investment in heliophysics research, citing the significant advances made in the field over the past decade. The survey notes that heliophysics research has led to a better understanding of the Sun’s influence on the solar system, the Earth’s magnetic field, and the impacts of space weather on our daily lives.
The survey also highlights the growing importance of international collaboration in heliophysics research. The SOP mission, for example, would build upon the success of the ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission, while the MADE mission would involve collaboration with international partners to provide a global network of magnetometers and auroral observatories.
The National Academy of Sciences’ decadal survey provides a roadmap for NASA’s heliophysics division over the next decade, prioritizing missions and research areas that will advance our understanding of the Sun’s influence on the solar system and the Earth’s magnetic field.
