NASA's PUNCH Mission Activated to Study Solar Wind Evolution (March 2025)

NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission is now operational, with all four satellites functioning at full power. Launched on March 11, 2025, the mission will capture global, 3D images of the Sun's corona and its transition into solar wind over the next two years.

PUNCH aims to improve understanding of space weather events, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact Earth's technology and robotic spacecraft. The four synchronized spacecraft act as a virtual instrument, providing a wide view of the Sun's outer atmosphere.

Data will be available to the public through NASA's Solar Data Analysis Center. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) leads the mission from Boulder, Colorado.