ESA, NASA
Where is Solar Orbiter now?
Today Solar Orbiter is 0.724 au (108.3 million km) from Earth and 0.818 au from the Sun. Its radio signals take 6 min 1 s to reach us. It is moving away from Earth at 1.4 km/s.
In our sky it is in Leo (right ascension 10h 16m 30s, declination +25° 46′ 14″), but far too faint to see.
Where it is in the Solar System
Seen from above the plane of Earth’s orbit, with the Sun in the middle: the planets’ orbits, the spacecraft today and its path a year back and a year ahead (where JPL’s trajectory covers it).
Mission
Observes the Sun from close up and from increasingly inclined orbits, to see its polar regions and track the solar wind.
| Agency | ESA, NASA |
|---|---|
| Launch | February 10, 2020 |
| Destination | Sun |
| Status | Active mission. |
Milestones
- 2020-07First images of the Sun. Source
- 2021-11Routine science operations began. Source
- February 18, 2025Venus flyby that began the high-latitude phase of the mission. Source
- March 16, 2025First observations of the Sun's south pole (16-17 March), from an orbit tilted 17 degrees to the solar equator. Source
- December 24, 2026Planned Venus flyby to raise the orbit's inclination further. Source
Position: JPL Horizons, October 13, 2026. ESA, NASA · Data sources
How to use this page
The page shows where the spacecraft is now, its path through the solar system, its key facts and its main milestones, from NASA JPL’s data.
Frequently asked questions
How is the position worked out?
From NASA JPL Horizons, which publishes the trajectories of spacecraft. The page is refreshed daily.
Can I see it in the sky?
No. Deep space probes are far too small and far away to see, even with a large telescope.
How do we talk to it?
Through NASA’s Deep Space Network, large radio dishes in California, Spain and Australia.