PUNCH solar arrays pass critical pre-launch tests
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025

Technicians supporting NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission have successfully deployed and tested the spacecraft's solar arrays at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. This key pre-launch milestone ensures the readiness of the arrays, which are essential for powering the spacecraft's systems and scientific instruments.

The solar array tests were conducted in a specialized cleanroom environment, designed to prevent contamination and safeguard the spacecraft's sensitive equipment. These tests are part of the final preparations for PUNCH's launch, scheduled for next month.

PUNCH consists of a constellation of four suitcase-sized satellites working in unison to capture continuous 3D imagery of the Sun's corona and the solar wind as it expands into the solar system. Managed by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) for NASA, the mission seeks to provide valuable insights into the Sun's outer atmosphere and the solar wind's impact on Earth's technology and space exploration efforts.

With the solar arrays successfully tested, PUNCH is closer to being ready for its mission. The spacecraft will launch as part of a rideshare with NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission. Both will be aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base's Space Launch Complex 4E no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 27.

Related Links
Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere at NASA
Solar Science News at SpaceDaily