European Space Agency–NASA spacecraft SOHO detects comet last seen 80,000 years ago!

In early October, the European Space Agency-NASA spacecraft SOHO watched Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) – as it passed the Sun after 80,000 years. SOHO stands for Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and was launched on 2nd December 1995 to study the sun to advise on solar storms and flares that can disrupt Earth's electronic systems.

Aerospace Bristol is proud to highlight that the onboard Attitude and Orbit Control Subsystem was designed, developed, and manufactured by a team of Filton, Bristol spacecraft engineers—and it is still keeping the SOHO spacecraft in the right place and looking in the right direction.

Watch a video of SOHO image of Comet A3 | Read SOHO overview here

Image of the Development Model of the SOHO ACU = Attitude Control Unit taken by Retired Systems Assembly and Test Manager and Aerospace Bristol volunteer, Terry Ransome.