LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning a groundbreaking step in CubeSat technology with the Henon mission. Henon will be the first self-contained CubeSat to travel into deep space without the support of a larger spacecraft. The goal is to observe the sun and demonstrate technologies that enable early warnings of solar storms.
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The European Space Agency (ESA) is about to set a significant milestone in CubeSat technology with the Henon mission. Henon will be the first CubeSat to travel into deep space independently without relying on a larger spacecraft. This mission aims to observe the Sun and demonstrate technologies capable of early detection and reporting of solar storms.
Henon, officially known as the Heliospheric Pioneer for Solar and Interplanetary Threats Defense, will be launched into an orbit around the Sun up to 24 million kilometers from Earth. This distance is well beyond the two million kilometer limit that is considered the beginning of deep space. Unlike previous ESA missions such as Hera, where CubeSats communicate with a larger mother ship, Henon will be able to communicate directly with ground stations via ESA’s Estrack network.
Another highlight of the mission is Henon’s tailor-made electric propulsion system. This miniature ion engine, powered by solar energy, uses charged xenon gas atoms to propel the CubeSat. This technology opens up new possibilities for low-cost missions to the moon, asteroids and even Mars orbit. Roger Walker, ESA’s Technology CubeSats Manager, emphasizes the importance of this innovation for future space missions.
The development of Henon is funded by ESA under the General Support Technology Program (GSTP), which aims to test new technologies through in-orbit demonstrations. The mission will not only push the boundaries of space technology, but also provide practical applications by providing early warnings of solar storms. These warnings could be crucial to protecting critical infrastructure on Earth, such as power grids, from damage.
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