Interstellar Probe: Principal Science Objectives


Interstellar Probe's unique voyage from Earth to beyond 200 AU will enable the first comprehensive measurements of plasma, neutral atoms, magnetic fields, dust, energetic particles, cosmic rays, and infrared emission from the outer Solar System, through the boundaries of the heliosphere, and on into the interstellar medium. This exploratory journey will address key questions about the distribution of matter in the outer Solar System, the processes by which the Sun interacts with the galaxy, and the nature and properties of the nearby interstellar medium that fills the space between the stars.

  1. Explore the nature of the interstellar medium and its implications for the origin and evolution of matter in our Galaxy and the Universe


  2. Explore the influence of the interstellar medium on the solar system, its dynamics, and its evolution


  3. Explore the impact of the Solar System on the interstellar medium as an example of the interaction of a stellar system with its environment


  4. Explore the outer Solar System in search of clues to its origin, and to the nature of other planetary systems

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Introduction
Interstellar Medium
Interaction Between the Interstellar Medium and the Solar Wind
The Outer Solar System
Scientific Instruments and Mission Requirements
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
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For more information regarding this website
and the Interstellar Probe Project,
please contact Dr. Paulett Liewer
This site was last updated:
February 8, 2000.