Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

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The Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission is a joint endeavor between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. SOHO was specifically designed to probe the internal workings of the Sun, its vast outer atmosphere, and the origin of the solar wind - a relentless stream of highly ionized gas that continuously blows outward through the Solar System. SOHO blasted off on December 2, 1995. The SOHO spacecraft was constructed in Europe by an industry team led by Matra, with instruments provided by European and American scientists. NASA handled the launch and now oversees mission operations. To track the spacecraft beyond Earth's orbit, NASA relies on large radio dishes worldwide that make up its Deep Space Network. Mission control is based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Initially intended to operate until 1998, SOHO's success led ESA and NASA to extend its lifespan multiple times and endorse several mission extensions.