CURIE MISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)
Context: NASA is set to launch a groundbreaking CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment (CURIE) mission to unravel the mysteries of solar radio waves.
CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment (CURIE) Mission
- Objective: Investigate the origins of solar radio waves using innovative techniques.
- Spacecraft Description: Consists of two shoebox-sized satellites orbiting approximately two miles apart.
- Technology: Utilizes low frequency radio interferometry, a pioneering method in space research.
- Operational Capability
o Radio Wave Measurement: Covers the 0.1 to 19 megahertz frequency range, inaccessible from Earth due to atmospheric blockage.
o Orbital Position: Orbits 360 miles above Earth to achieve unobstructed solar observations.
o Deployment: Upon orbit insertion, spacecraft separate, deploy eight-foot antennas, and initiate data collection.
- Scientific Significance
o Research Impact: Advances understanding of solar radio emissions and related phenomena.
o Future Prospects: Sets precedent for future space-based radio astronomy missions.
o Sponsorship and Support
o Funding: Supported by NASA’s Heliophysics Flight Opportunities for Research and Technology (H-FORT) Program.
