Announcement: Solar Dynamics Observatory's First Light Images and Movies will be released on April 21 at 2:15pm EDT. Read more
NASA, Newseum to Debut Images from Unique Solar Spacecraft
NASA will hold a news briefing and unveil initial images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, at 2:15 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 21, in the atrium of the Newseum. The Newseum is located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, in Washington. NASA Television and the agency's Web site will provide live coverage of the briefing. Read more
The Solar Dynamics Observatory will give space scientists the most detailed views ever of the sun to help improve their understanding of the Sun's disruptive influence on space weather and services such as telecommunications on Earth. The UK, including scientists and engineers from the Science and Technology Facility Council's (STFC's) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), has provided essential expertise and technology to the mission. RAL Scientists involved in the five year mission watched as SDO was launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral base at 15:23 (GMT). Read more
NASA launched a probe on its quest to study our star on Thursday, one day later than scheduled because of Florida's weather. The new observatory had been slated to lift off on Wednesday from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, but strong winds stymied the first launch attempt. The weather was more cooperative on Thursday: An Atlas 5 rocket sent the probe spaceward at 10:23 a.m. ET, at the very beginning of the launch window. Read more
The ULA Atlas 5 rocket with the Solar Dynamics Observatory has successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida at the start of its launch window.