STORMS provides science and forecast tools to support the operations of space missions. They were funded by projects led by the STORMS team but have benefited from many discussions in ESA/NASA's Modelling and Data Analysis Working Group (MADAWG). The tools were designed to help with deciding the pointing of remote-sensing instruments on Solar Orbiter (and other observatories) to support multi-instrument studies within the Solar Orbiter mission. The tools are also used regularly to prepare multi-instrument studies with NASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP).
PARKER SOLAR PROBE
Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is a NASA mission to explore the Sun and its close environment. PSP was launched in August 2018 from Cape Canaveral (USA) and is providing scientific on the part of its orbit which is closer to the Sun (perihelion). There are 24 orbits planned, with a perihelion every 80 days approximately. One orbit after the other, PSP is getting closer to the Sun, planning to reach less than 5% of the Sun-Earth distance in 2024. Four investigations are conducted through PSP’s instrumentation, covering both in-situ and remote-sensing observations.
More information about PSP here
Use the Connectivity Tool to prepare PSP's solar encounters.
Check out forecasts of PSP's magnetic connectivity.
SOLAR ORBITER
On the ESA side (in collaboration with NASA), another ambitious mission is Solar Orbiter, launched in early February 2020. Solar Orbiter is planned to explore the Sun and the solar wind for seven years, bringing 10 instrumental suites which will cover in situ and remote-sensing measurements complementary of PSP measurements.
More information about SOLAR ORBITER here
Use the Connectivity Tool to prepare Solar Orbiter's observation campaigns.
Read Alexis Rouillard explaining why Solar Orbiter will unlock the secrets of our star here (french).
Listen Thierry Dudok de Wit on french radio here.
