The problem of designing a solar stereoscopic observatory

Abstract

This paper presents results derived by exploring the possibilities of creating an interplanetary stereoscopic observatory to invesigate the 3D structure of solar features from granules and spicules to coronal structure. A preliminary study was made of the passive motion of two spacecraft in the vicinity of Lagrangian libration points L 4 and L 4. The version of ballistic scheme of setting-up of the system with a minimal deployment time is considered. For preliminary development of stereoscopic spacecraft the main parameters of scientific payload have been taken: mass - 600 kg, power - 1 kw, summary data - 5 Gbits per day. The chief results of this work are: (i) The stereoscopic observatories can be realized with a complete set of achieable objectives, (ii) launching of spacecraft with the mass 2000 kg into both libration points is possible by using the Soviet rocket-vehicle “Proton” in a time 1.17 year, (iii) Transmission of information from stereoscopic observatory amount 5 Gbit ber day is possible to the ground-based antenna 70 m in diameter and using, aboard the spacecraft's, a transmitting-receiving phase-array antenna of size 5 m.