The Solar Monitoring Observatory (SOLAR / SMO) is an ESA science observatory that is part of the Columbus Laboratory, which is a component of the International Space Station. The Columbus module (including SOLAR) was launched February 2008 aboard STS-122. SOLAR was externally mounted to the Columbus Laboratory, together with the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF). Some other components are also planned to be mounted externally on Columbus on future missions, including the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES).
SOLAR consists of three space science instruments: SOVIM, SOLSPEC and SOL-ACES. Together they will provide detailed measurements of the Sun's spectral irradiance.[1] Once installed on the ISS, Solar is planned to operate continuously for approximately 1.5 years.
The mission was originally planned for a 2003 launch, but was delayed following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
The SOVIM (Solar Variantions and Irradiance Monitor) instrument is based on an earlier instrument (SOVA) which flew aboard the European Retrievable Carrier, launched on STS-46 in 1992.[2] It is designed to measure solar radiation with wavelengths from 200 nanometers - 100 micrometers. This covers near-ultraviolet, visible and infrared areas of the spectrum.
SOLSPEC (Solar Spectral irradiance measurements) is designed to measure the solar spectral irradiance in the 165 - 3000 nanometer range with high spectral resolution.
SOL-ACES (Auto-calibrating Extreme Ultraviolet and Ultraviolet spectrometers) consists of four grazing incidence grating spectrometers. They are designed to measure the EUV/UV spectral regime (17 nanometers - 220 nanometers) with moderate spectral resolution.[3]
The SOLAR platform and its instruments are controlled from the Belgian User Support and Operations Centre (B.USOC), located at the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BISA) in Uccle, Belgium.
Scientific research on the ISS