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Ulysses solar-polar spacecraft

Ulysses was ESA's Dornier-built solar-polar spacecraft for the joint ESA-NASA mission that mapped the heliosphere above and below the Sun's poles. Its Jupiter gravity assist placed the probe in a highly inclined heliocentric orbit, enabling the first sustained in-situ survey of the solar wind and magnetic environment at high solar latitudes.

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Identity

Aliases
UlyssesInternational Solar Polar Mission spacecraft
Family Name
Ulysses
Full Name
Ulysses solar-polar spacecraft
Roles
interplanetary_probeorbiterobservatory
Status
retired
Type
spacecraft

Details

Description
Ulysses was ESA's Dornier-built solar-polar spacecraft for the joint ESA-NASA mission that mapped the heliosphere above and below the Sun's poles. Its Jupiter gravity assist placed the probe in a highly inclined heliocentric orbit, enabling the first sustained in-situ survey of the solar wind and magnetic environment at high solar latitudes.
First Flight Year
1,990
Last Flight Year
1,990
Manufacturer
Operator
Spacecraft Specs
Launch Mass Kg
371
Reusability
expendable

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Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 31, 2026 at 23:33:11 UTC
Updated Time
July 31, 2026 at 23:33:11 UTC

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Programs
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