Decadal Survey Advocates New Missions and Research in Heliophysics

The latest heliophysics decadal survey recommends NASA pursue two major missions: the Links mission to study Earth's magnetosphere and the Solar Polar Orbiter to explore the sun's polar regions. These missions, estimated to cost $1.86 billion and $2.08 billion respectively, are part of a broader strategy to enhance solar and space physics research. However, funding challenges persist, as NASA's proposed budget cuts threaten the continuation of the Geospace Dynamics Constellation mission, raising concerns about the feasibility of these new initiatives.