Clearest views yet of Sun’s south pole may unlock its mysteries

A spacecraft developed by European scientists and companies has captured unprecedented new views of the Sun’s south pole.

Built by Airbus in the UK, Solar Orbiter was developed as part of a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The probe launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2020.

A number of European tech firms also contributed to the mission. One of them is Dublin-based Enbio, which developed a protective coating for the probe using crushed animal bones. It’s one of the more unusual materials ever flown into space — and it plays a vital role in shielding Solar Orbiter from the Sun’s intense heat and radiation. The spacecraft will fly closer to the Sun than any other probe in history, crucial to getting a better view of our nearest star. 

Before Solar Orbiter, all the ...