NASA’s STEREO-A Spacecraft Returns to Earth after 17-Year Mission
In a remarkable turn of events, NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A (STEREO-A) spacecraft has made its way back to Earth after drifting through space for nearly 17 years. Originally launched in 2006, STEREO-A was designed to conduct groundbreaking research on the sun and the solar system’s star. While most NASA spacecraft have a mission life span of only two years, STEREO-A continued to travel further away from Earth, becoming disconnected from NASA in 2015 when it passed behind the sun.
During its time in space, STEREO-A’s sibling vessel, STEREO-B, also lost contact with NASA. However, STEREO-A managed to survive and recently passed between the sun and Earth for the first time since its launch, bringing it closer to home. This milestone offers a new opportunity for the spacecraft to contribute to scientific research on the sun, aided by newer NASA satellites that have been developed in the years since its launch.
Lika Guhathakurta, STEREO’s program scientist, expressed excitement about the spacecraft’s return, stating, “This is a point in time for this mission to shine again.” The STEREO mission, which involved two spacecraft, aimed to generate a comprehensive 360-degree view of the sun by observing it from different vantage points. This unique perspective allowed scientists to capture a three-dimensional view of the sun and study its roiling surface and the hazards associated with it, such as coronal mass ejections.
The STEREO spacecraft’s long journey also presented challenges. In 2014, as they neared the far side of the sun, they risked severing communication with NASA for several months. While STEREO-B was eventually deemed unrecoverable due to a malfunction, STEREO-A emerged unscathed and began its journey back towards Earth.
Now that STEREO-A has returned, it coincides with a period of intense solar activity, providing scientists with an opportunity to gather new data and further study the sun. The spacecraft’s flyby will enable it to recreate the 3D imaging of the sun it once captured with STEREO-B, using a fleet of satellites and probes near Earth.
Scientists also hope to use the data from STEREO-A’s flyby to investigate a recent theory regarding the nature of coronal loops, giant arcs of solar material that crisscross the sun’s surface.
Despite STEREO-A’s long and successful mission, there are still questions regarding its future. Depending on NASA’s budgeting decisions, it remains to be seen if STEREO-A will continue its work or embark on another orbit around the sun.
For Lika Guhathakurta, who has been working on the STEREO mission since its inception in 1998, seeing the spacecraft persevere after such a long journey is a source of inspiration. She remarked, “It’s like seeing your children grow up and do extraordinary things.”
In the world of space exploration, STEREO-A’s return to Earth reaffirms the resilience and importance of long-lasting missions as they contribute to our understanding of the universe. With their relentless drive to explore, these spacecraft remind us that they never stay home – they drift away quickly into the unknown.