NASA launched a spacecraft to explore the boundary area of ​​the solar system

On October 19, the US Space Agency (NASA) successfully launched an unmanned probe into orbit to study the interstellar boundary area on the solar system.

The IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer) was put into orbit by Pegasus boosters and carried out the task for two years, taking photos and mapping the interstellar boundary area on the Solar System, lying down billions of kilometers away from Earth.

It is expected that IBEX will observe the whole sky and for the first time study the general structure of the boundary area, where the solar system intersects with the interstellar space. With two "cameras" with extremely large apertures that provide clear images, IBEX will help scientists delve into where the Solar system "meets" the galaxy.

The boundary areas between the solar system and the stars are considered "shields" to protect the Earth from dangerous cosmic rays from the galaxy (Photo: TTO).

Weighing 462kg, IBEX has a similar shape to a dot, consisting of 8 faces, 59cm tall and 96cm wide. The active energy of IBEX is supplied by solar cells, which can absorb sunlight and electricity. The final trajectory of IBEX will be 320,000km from Earth, 1,000 times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

According to experts, the boundary areas between the solar system and the stars are important because these areas are "shields" to protect the Earth from dangerous cosmic rays from the galaxy. Without these areas, the rays could penetrate Earth's orbit and threaten human space exploration trains.

Before the IBEX, NASA launched two Voyager satellites and the Pioneer ship onto the solar system boundary.