Space
New Sun mission to launch in attempt to snap 1st-ever photos of star’s poles
A new spacecraft is set to launch on a journey to the Sun. It’s goal: to snap the first pictures of the Sun’s north and south poles.
Dubbed Solar Orbiter, the spacecraft is a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The 3,970-lb. (1,320 kg) spacecraft will launch atop United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket on Feb. 7, 2020, during a two-hour launch window that opens at 11:15 p.m. EST (0415 GMT Feb. 8).
It’s launching at night because the spacecraft is on a path to Venus where it will use the planet’s gravity to slingshot itself out of the ecliptic plane — the area of space where all planets orbit.
From that vantage point, Solar Orbiter’s on-board cameras will capture the first-ever view of the Sun’s poles.
“Up until Solar Orbiter, all solar imaging instruments have been within the ecliptic plane or very close to it,” Russell Howard, space scientist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. and principal investigator for one of Solar Orbiter’s ten instruments said in a mission update. “Now, we’ll be able to look down on the Sun from above.”
“It will be terra incognita,” added Daniel Müller, ESA project scientist for the mission at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands. “This is really exploratory science.”
The spacecraft is taking a suite of specialized instruments with it on its journey to the sun. It will also work in tandem with another solar-observing spacecraft—NASA’s Parker Solar Probe.
Launched in 2018, Parker has now completed its first few close passes of the sun. The spacecraft is already making discoveries, showing that despite appearance, the sun is anything but quiet.
It plays a central role in shaping space around us. As a magnetically active star, the sun unleashes powerful bursts of light and a slew of charged particles (racing at near light-speed) across the solar system. This violent activity has been happening throughout the sun’s 5.5 billion-year lifespan and affects our planet daily.
The sun has a massive magnetic field, which stretches far beyond Pluto, and creates the boundary between our solar system and interstellar space. It also creates a path for charged particles to whiz across the solar system.
The barrage of energetic particles, known as the solar wind, can damage spacecraft, satellites, and is harmful to our astronauts. It can disrupt navigation signals, and during extreme flares, can even trigger power outages.
But we can prepare for these things by monitoring the sun’s activity and magnetic field. However, our view from Earth is limited and leaves us with incomplete data. Scientists are hoping that by observing the sun’s polar regions, Solar Orbiter will be able to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
“The poles are particularly important for us to be able to model more accurately,” Holly Gilbert, NASA project scientist for the mission at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “For forecasting space weather events, we need a pretty accurate model of the global magnetic field of the Sun.”
Solar Orbiter will take seven years to reach a viewpoint 24 degrees above the Sun’s equator, increasing to 33 degrees if the mission is extended an additional three years. That will provide the best views ever of the poles.
Additionally, the poles may be able to shed some light on the driving force behind sun spots — dark spots on the sun’s surface that mark strong magnetic fields. In 1843, German astronomer, Samuel Heinrich Schwabe, discovered that the spots increase and decrease during the solar cycle in a repeating pattern.
There are an abundance of sunspots during solar maximum (when the sun is active and turbulent) and fewer during solar minimum (when the sun is calmer). But scientists don’t understand why the cycle lasts 11 years, or why some solar maximums are stronger than others.
They hope to find the answer by observing the changing magnetic fields at the poles.
There’s only been one other spacecraft to fly over the sun’s polar regions: another joint ESA/NASA venture called Ulysses. It made three passes around the sun before being decommissioned in 2009. However, unlike Solar Orbiter, Ulysses did not have an imager on board to take pictures of the poles.
That spacecraft also did not get nearly as close as Solar Orbiter will. That’s because it lacked the technology required to keep it cool. Scientists have been waiting more than 60 years for missions like Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter to come online.
It’s takes a lot of technology development to be able to design and build a spacecraft that will survive a close encounter with the sun.
Solar Orbiter is outfitted with a custom-designed titanium heat shield, topped with a calcium phosphate coating that withstands temperatures over 900 degrees Fahrenheit (482 degrees Celsius). That’s thirteen times the amount of heat that spacecraft in Earth-orbit are subjected to.
News
Starlink Direct to Cell to boost remote businesses in Chile
Entel teams up with Starlink Direct to Cell to power SMEs & industries in Chile’s remote regions. Remote businesses get a major tech upgrade.
Entel will provide Starlink Direct to Cell services to businesses in Chile and Peru, boosting connectivity in underserved regions.
Entel is Chile’s leading telecommunications provider. Its strategic collaboration leverages Starlink’s Direct to Cell service by offering advanced internet solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations.
The partnership targets industries like mining, agriculture, and forestry, which often face connectivity challenges in remote areas. By tapping into Starlink’s low-latency satellite constellation, Entel aims to bridge these gaps, driving innovation and competitiveness.
The collaboration with Entel follows Starlink’s April expansion in Brazil, where its internet was integrated into John Deere’s agricultural equipment. Through its mobile app, Starlink provided Brazilian farmers with live video feeds, sensor data, and real-time sharing.
Entel’s Starlink Direct to Cell service includes value-added features such as 24/7 network monitoring, proactive management, and dedicated technical support. An observability feature will allow businesses to track real-time connectivity performance through web or mobile applications, enhancing operational efficiency.
The service’s accessibility to SMEs is a key focus. Starlink Direct to Cell is expected to empower small businesses to engage in e-commerce, improve customer communication, and expand digital operations.
Starlink’s Direct to Cell expansion into Peru underscores Entel’s regional ambitions, positioning it as a leader in Latin America’s business connectivity landscape. While details of the Peruvian rollout remain forthcoming, the move aligns with the region’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Reliable internet is critical for businesses to adopt cloud-based technologies and access global markets.
Starlink’s growing influence in Latin America highlights its role in transforming connectivity for underserved areas. Entel’s partnership strengthens its portfolio and helps businesses navigate a digital economy. As industries in Chile and Peru leverage Starlink’s capabilities, the collaboration could set a precedent for regional telecom providers, fostering innovation and economic growth across diverse sectors.
News
SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini targets home Wi-Fi dead zones for $40
The Starlink Router Mini tackles home Wi-Fi dead zones for just $40. Compact & mesh-compatible, it’s built for basic setups.
SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini recently launched to enhance home Wi-Fi connectivity by addressing dead zones at home, offering a budget-friendly option for customers. The Starlink Router Mini is a $40 mesh-compatible device.
The Router Mini targets users seeking affordable solutions to extend coverage in smaller spaces. SpaceX describes the new Starlink router as a lower-performance device suited for “basic Wi-Fi needs” in compact setups.
“It works well in most basic residential setups and is a good option for extending coverage. However, in homes where rooms have multiple barriers between them (mirrors, multiple walls, brick or stone walls), you may notice a drop in performance unless you use wired connections,” the company noted.
In contrast, the Gen 3 router, now priced at $120 after dropping from $199, delivers stronger performance for larger homes with multiple devices. The Router Mini complements the Gen 3 router, which comes bundled with the standard Starlink dish and supports mesh networking.
“If you need simple, reliable Wi-Fi and want to keep costs down, the Router Mini is a solid option. But if you’re looking for stronger, more consistent performance across a larger or busier home, the Gen 3 Router is the way to go,” SpaceX explained.
Both routers support Wi-Fi 6 speeds and can operate in wired or wireless mesh modes, though the dual-band Starlink Router Mini has fewer antennas (“2×2 2.4 GHz, 2×3 5 GHz MU-MIMO”) compared to the tri-band Gen 3’s four-plus antenna setup.
The Router Mini’s debut follows its appearance in an FCC filing and a Starlink app update referencing a “mini mesh” device. It also connects to the Starlink Mini dish, boosting its limited Wi-Fi range. The device’s affordability and mesh compatibility make it an attractive option for customers looking to optimize their Starlink setup without investing in additional Gen 3 routers.
As Starlink continues to expand its global broadband network, the Router Mini addresses growing demand for flexible, cost-effective home connectivity solutions. By offering a cheaper mesh device, SpaceX strengthens its ecosystem, catering to diverse user needs while maintaining its lead in satellite internet innovation.
News
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 25 annual Starship launches
SpaceX scored FAA approval for up to 25 Starship launches annually. The agency found no major environmental impact, but critics remain skeptical.
SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to launch and land Starship rockets and Super Heavy boosters from its Starbase spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas, up to 25 times a year. The FAA’s decision was announced on Tuesday, marking a pivotal step for SpaceX’s ambitious space exploration goals.
The FAA’s SpaceX approval is part of its ongoing license review. The agency noted that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including evaluations of policy, payload, safety, financial responsibility, and environmental impacts.“Once the evaluation process is complete, the FAA will make a determination to approve or deny the license application,” the agency added.
The FAA’s final environmental assessment concluded that SpaceX’s expanded launch plans would have “no significant impact” on the surrounding environment, defying a history of legal disputes with environmental groups.
The ruling follows a significant weekend for Starbase, where residents—mostly SpaceX employees—voted to incorporate the area as a city. Starbasee City includes a mayor and two commissioners from the aerospace company’s ranks. The FAA’s decision amplifies SpaceX’s momentum but has sparked concerns among environmentalists.
Christopher Basaldu of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network called the environmental assessment premature.
“You’re bragging about the big slot rocket in history, and then you’re also trying to claim that it makes no environmental impact; that’s impossible. So they’re lying. So what the FAA needs to do is they need to go all the way back to square one,” Basaldu said.
Basaldu highlighted potential harm to marine life, pollution risks to the nearby Rio Grande, and disruptions from noise and night operations coming from SpaceX launches.
“A lot of noise pollution. That’s not a lot of night pollution, because they try to continue working through the night, while SpaceX is going to shut down the road for half of the year.”
As SpaceX pushes to scale Starship operations, the FAA’s approval underscores Starbase’s growing role in space exploration. However, ongoing environmental reviews and local concerns signal challenges ahead, balancing innovation with ecological and community impacts.
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