Seoul
A solar coronagraph developed by South Korea and the U.S. has been installed on the International Space Station (ISS) to begin observing the sun and its outer atmosphere, or corona. This joint project, named the Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX), was created by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in collaboration with NASA, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) announced on Wednesday.
CODEX, stationed on the ISS’s external platform, has successfully received power and established communications, according to KASA. The mission will conduct solar observations for up to two years after a one-month trial period starting next year. It is the first coronagraph capable of measuring solar wind temperature, speed, and density, which will aid researchers in understanding solar wind behavior and space weather patterns.
This project aligns with South Korea’s involvement in NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program. As part of their collaboration, KASA and NASA will work on research in areas such as lunar landers, space communications, and astronaut support technologies. This also includes studies in lunar science, robotics, and mobility systems for the Moon.
South Korea, among 47 countries that signed the Artemis Accords for international lunar exploration, has further plans with NASA to design a mission at the Lagrange point L4, where the gravitational forces of the sun and Earth are balanced, promising advancements in space research.
