The Sunrise Mission

• Published in: Solar physics Vol. 268; no. 1; pp. 1 - 34
• Main Authors: Barthol, P., Gandorfer, A., Solanki, S. K., Schüssler, M., Chares, B., Curdt, W., Deutsch, W., Feller, A., Germerott, D., Grauf, B., Heerlein, K., Hirzberger, J., Kolleck, M., Meller, R., Müller, R., Riethmüller, T. L., Tomasch, G., Knölker, M., Lites, B. W., Card, G., Elmore, D., Fox, J., Lecinski, A., Nelson, P., Summers, R., Watt, A., Martínez Pillet, V., Bonet, J. A., Schmidt, W., Berkefeld, T., Title, A. M., Domingo, V., Gasent Blesa, J. L., del Toro Iniesta, J. C., López Jiménez, A., Álvarez-Herrero, A., Sabau-Graziati, L., Widani, C., Haberler, P., Härtel, K., Kampf, D., Levin, T., Pérez Grande, I., Sanz-Andrés, A., Schmidt, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.01.2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Atmospheric Sciences; Magnetic fields; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Scientific apparatus & instruments; Solar physics; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Sun; The Sunrise Balloon-Borne Observatory; Ultraviolet astronomy; Canada; Sweden; Canada, Nunavut, Somerset I; Integrated sun observations; Magnetic fields, photosphere; Instrumentation and data management
• ISSN: 0038-0938; 1573-093X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11207-010-9662-9

The first science flight of the balloon-borne Sunrise telescope took place in June 2009 from ESRANGE (near Kiruna/Sweden) to Somerset Island in northern Canada. We describe the scientific aims and mission concept of the project and give an overview and a description of the various hardware components: the 1-m main telescope with its postfocus science instruments (the UV filter imager SuFI and the imaging vector magnetograph IMaX) and support instruments (image stabilizing and light distribution system ISLiD and correlating wavefront sensor CWS), the optomechanical support structure and the instrument mounting concept, the gondola structure and the power, pointing, and telemetry systems, and the general electronics architecture. We also explain the optimization of the structural and thermal design of the complete payload. The preparations for the science flight are described, including AIV and ground calibration of the instruments. The course of events during the science flight is outlined, up to the recovery activities. Finally, the in-flight performance of the instrumentation is discussed.