Radio and Plasma Wave analyser (RPW)

The uniqueness of this instrument is that it can provide remote and in-situ observations, so when SolO orbits the Sun every six months, constantly shifting between closer than Mercury and farther away than Earth, RPW can gain valuable data no matter where it sits.

Using a series of antennae and sensors, this instrument will provide high-resolution data of the solar magnetic and electric fields. This investigation will help study the solar wind that permeates throughout the Solar System and poses a potential threat to Earth – frying the electronics of satellites in low-Earth orbit and astronauts on board the International Space Station.