The sun is not just responsible for warming the Earth, but it also affects a much larger area of space known as the heliosphere. The heliosphere is a vast region influenced by the sun, extending over a hundred times farther than the distance from the sun to the Earth. This region is filled with plasma, neutral particles, and dust that are part of the solar wind and the sun’s magnetic field.
The heliosphere acts as a shield, protecting our solar system from harmful cosmic rays and interstellar radiation. However, the shape of the heliosphere remains a mystery, with scientists debating whether it is spherical, comet-like, or croissant-shaped. Understanding the shape of the heliosphere is crucial for unraveling its interactions with the local interstellar medium.
NASA’s Voyager probes have provided valuable insights into the heliosphere by crossing the heliopause, the boundary between the heliosphere and interstellar space. While the Voyager probes have reached interstellar space, they are no longer operational, highlighting the need for a new interstellar probe mission.
NASA is considering launching an interstellar probe that would travel beyond the heliopause and study the heliosphere from the outside. This probe would provide essential data on the plasma and magnetic fields in the interstellar medium and offer a new perspective on the shape of the heliosphere.
Researchers are evaluating different launch directions for the interstellar probe, aiming to capture a comprehensive view of the heliosphere’s shape. A trajectory intersecting the heliosphere’s flank toward the tail direction could provide a unique opportunity to study new regions of space within the heliosphere.
While the exact trajectory of the interstellar probe is still being determined, the scientific insights it would provide are invaluable. By studying the heliosphere from the outside, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of its shape and interactions with the interstellar medium. Ultimately, the data returned by an interstellar probe mission could revolutionize our knowledge of the sun’s influence in space.
