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| | | | | | | Ulysses overview
| | | | | | | | | | | | | At 15.4 kilometres per second, it became the fastest space probe ever, propelled by the Inertial Upper Stage and the Payload Assist Module (the spherical motor immediately below Ulysses). Ulysses is a joint ESA/NASA mission studying the interplanetary medium and solar wind in the inner heliosphere beyond the Sun's equator for the first time. Its high-inclination solar orbit took it over the Sun's south pole in 1994 and then the north pole in 1995. It made a second southern solar pass above 70° latitude during September 2000 to January 2001, and a similar northern pass during September to December 2001.
Credits: Boeing | |  |  | |
| | | | | To reach its final polar orbit around the Sun, chosen in order to chart the heliosphere at all solar latitudes, Ulysses needed a gravitational pull from Jupiter. This gravity-assist manoeuvre took place on 8 February 1992.
Credits: ESA (image by D. Hardy) | | | | |
| | | | | | The ESA-NASA Ulysses spacecraft acquired its unique orbit from Jupiter | | | | |
| | | | | A joint ESA and NASA mission, Ulysses (named after the hero of Greek legend) has charted the reaches of space above and below the poles of the Sun for more than seventeen years. It provided the first-ever map of the heliosphere – the sphere of influence of the Sun – in the four dimensions of space and time.
Exploring our star's environment is vital if scientists are to build a complete picture of the Sun, how it works and its effect on the Solar System. In particular, the satellite studied the solar wind that blows non-stop from the Sun and carves out the heliosphere itself, which extends well beyond the outer limits of the Solar System.
Ulysses was equipped with a comprehensive range of scientific instruments to detect and measure solar wind ions and electrons, magnetic fields, energetic particles, cosmic rays, natural radio and plasma waves, cosmic dust, neutral interstellar gas, solar X-rays and cosmic Gamma Ray Bursts.
Ulysses was launched by Space Shuttle Discovery in October 1990. It headed out to Jupiter, arriving in February 1992 for the gravity-assist manoeuvre that swung the craft into its unique solar orbit. It has orbited the Sun three times and performed six polar passes. The mission concludes on 1 July 2008.
Credits: ESA | | | | |
| | | | Mission
| Ulysses in flight configuration passing by Jupiter.
Credits: ESA/Dave Hardy | | | | |
| | | | Last update: 21 August 2009 | |
| | More about... Ulysses factsheetUlysses operationsRelated videos  The Ulysses legacy (QT player) The Ulysses legacy (WM player)Related articles The Ulysses legacySun to set on Ulysses solar mission on 1 JulyUlysses: the science legacyUlysses: the engineering challengeMultimedia The Ulysses legacy, in picturesThe Ulysses legacy, multimediaFor the media Joint ESA and NASA statement (pdf)Ulysses factsheet (pdf)Presentations
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