Perihelion

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

Perihelion is the orbital point of minimum distance between an orbiting celestial body (e.g., planet, spacecraft) and its primary star (e.g., Sun), a key parameter in Keplerian orbits influencing orbital velocity and gravitational forces.

BACKGROUND

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope designed to conduct infrared astronomy. It is the largest telescope in space, and is equipped with high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments, allowing it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. This enables investigations across many fields of astronomy and cosmology, such as observation of the first stars and the formation of the first galaxies, and detailed atmospheric characterization of potentially habitable exoplanets.

SYNONYMS & ALIASES

• Closest approach to Sun
• orbital closest point
• solar perigee

USAGE NOTE

Understanding perihelion is crucial for mission planning, especially for solar probes or objects with highly elliptical orbits.

DEVELOPERS

Organizations developing technology related to Perihelion.

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

  A U.S. government agency responsible for the civilian space program, aeronautics, and aerospace research. NASA designs and operates numerous missions, such as the Parker Solar Probe, which makes record-breaking close approaches to the Sun (perihelion) to study its outer corona and solar wind.

• European Space Agency (ESA)

  An intergovernmental organization dedicated to space exploration. ESA collaborates on and develops missions like Solar Orbiter, which studies the Sun and inner heliosphere from close range, involving careful trajectory design to achieve specific perihelion distances.

• Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL)

  A university-affiliated research center that provides research and development for the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, and other government agencies. JHU/APL designed, built, and operates the Parker Solar Probe, requiring extensive expertise in engineering spacecraft to withstand extreme conditions at solar perihelion.

• Airbus Defence and Space

  A division of Airbus responsible for developing and manufacturing aerospace products, including satellites and spacecraft. They are a major contractor for numerous space missions, including contributing to the development of the Solar Orbiter, where orbital mechanics and perihelion considerations are vital for mission success.

• Lockheed Martin Space

  A major aerospace manufacturer that builds a variety of spacecraft, including interplanetary probes and planetary orbiters. Their work involves sophisticated astrodynamics and mission planning to achieve precise orbits, which often include critical perihelion or periapsis maneuvers for scientific objectives or trajectory correction.

• Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS)

  A research institute in Germany conducting fundamental research in planetary sciences and solar physics. MPS develops instruments for solar and planetary missions, playing a crucial role in analyzing data gathered at the Sun's perihelion and other significant orbital points.

• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

  Japan's national aerospace and space agency. JAXA conducts solar observation missions (like Hinode) and deep space probes, where understanding and leveraging perihelion (and aphelion) in orbital mechanics is essential for mission design and achieving scientific objectives.