The Countdown is on for Launch of NASA’s Next Mission to Face the Sun Live Shots

New Mission Will Broaden Understanding of Sun and Future Space Exploration
Next week, NASA will launch a daring new mission to the Sun that will give us the most comprehensive view yet of our star. Solar Orbiter is a joint European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA mission that will provide high-resolution views of the never-before-seen poles of the Sun.

The mission will help answer some of our most burning questions about the Sun, with implications for how to best protect our technology and astronauts going to the Moon and beyond.

On Friday, Feb. 7 from 6:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST, NASA and ESA scientists are available LIVE from Kennedy Space Center to give your viewers a look into this exciting mission as it prepares to face the Sun. Find out how understanding the Sun better will ultimately help NASA send the first woman and next man forward to the Moon with the Artemis program. * Solar Orbiter is set to launch on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 11:03 p.m. EST.

We've studied the Sun for decades, but there is still more to learn about the center of our solar system. Solar Orbiter’s images of the poles will fill in the gaps in our measurements of the Sun’s magnetic field, which drives solar activity like flares and coronal mass ejections.

The Sun is an active star, so it releases bursts of material and energy that can affect our astronauts and technology in space and even here on Earth — conditions collectively called space weather.

SUGGESTED ANCHOR INTRO:
A MISSION TO UNDERSTAND OUR CLOSEST STAR… THE SUN. THIS WEEKEND, NASA AND THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY WILL LAUNCH A NEW MISSION TO THE SUN THAT WILL GIVE US HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS OF AREAS WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. HELPING US UNDERSTAND HOW THE SUN AFFECTS OUR LIVES HERE ON EARTH AND BEYOND...JOINING US NOW WE HAVE… LIVE FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Schedule an Interview
To schedule an interview, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/g7znF7bz48CtmdNq7

Scientists names will be updated next week. There will be a Spanish-speaking scientist available in addition to English

Satellite Coordinates
* Interview Location: NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL

HD Satellite Coordinates for G17-K20/Upper: Galaxy 17 Ku-band Xp 20 Slot Upper| 91.0 ° W Longitude | DL 12109.0 MHz | Vertical Polarity | QPSK/DVB-S | FEC 3/4 | SR 13.235 Mbps | DR 18.2954 MHz | HD 720p | Format MPEG2 | Chroma Level 4:2:0 | Audio Embedded

Suggested Questions
1. NASA is launching a new mission to the Sun THIS WEEKEND! What is this mission going to be doing?
2. The mission will give us a look at the north and south poles for the very first time by flying in a very unusual orbit around the Sun. How difficult is it to get into this unique orbit?
3. The Sun has seasons, and we are currently in a season of low activity. How will this mission help us better understand these cycles? (Scientist will talk on solar weather and how it affects us)
4. Sunglasses won’t cut it for NASA’s next generation of astronauts. How will better understanding the Sun help astronauts go to the Moon and beyond with the Artemis mission?
5. Where can we learn more about the Solar Orbiter mission and get launch updates?