Solar Orbiter spacecraft to investigate the Sun's mysteries

Solar Orbiter blasted off last week, bound for the Sun. The spacecraft will reach our star within two years and will orbit at around 42 million kn from it.

Artist impression of The Solar Orbiter in front of the Sun. Source: AAP Image

The spacecraft will study the elusive solar poles and try to understand the mechanism behind the fearsome solar flares.

The Atlas 5 rocket, which is carrying the Solar Orbiter observation satellite into space, sitting on the launch pad before launch on Cape Canaveral. Source: AAP Image

Senior Research Fellow at the Internation Centre for Radio Astronomy Research of The University Western Australia Luca Cortese tells SBS Italian why the Sun, though the closest star from us, is still a mystery for scientists.

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