A special space mission will study how solar flares generated by nearby stars might affect the habitability of exoplanets in their orbit.
The mission, called “Mauve‘, in 2024 by the company Blue Sky Space Privately held, which is also developing a commercial exoplanet observation satellite called Twinkle.
will carry”MauveAn ultraviolet spectrometer and a 6-inch (15 cm) telescope to observe the activity of stars near the sun, stars like the sun usually expel huge amounts of energetic particles in the form of coronal mass ejections and generate powerful flashes of light known as solar flares, and these phenomena affect the surrounding environment stars, where powerful solar winds strike nearby planets that can devour the planets’ atmospheres and sterilize their surfaces, according to space.
“By observing other planet-host stars, we will better understand the behavior of our star and the sun and its potential impact on Earth,” Giovanna Tenetti, professor of astrophysics at University College London and chief scientist at Blue Skies Space, said in a statement.
Construction of the satellite, scheduled for launch in 2024, will begin in November, and the spacecraft and its instruments will be built in partnership with the Hungarian company, UK-based Blue Sky Space said in the statement. C3S LLC and group SPACE in the Netherlands.
Italian astronomer Giusepina Mesella said of the observatory INAF In Palermo, who advised the team on this flag, he said: “It will open Mauve It will provide a new opportunity for astronomy and planetary research and will provide greater access to ‘ultraviolet’ stellar data that is currently very sparse.”
Added Marcel Tessini, CEO of Blue Sky Space: “I am so excited about the latest science that has enabled me Mauve And the close collaboration between the UK and European partners to build it, which has been enabled by the European Commission’s funding support.”
Date: 10/27/2022