MiniCOR: Miniature Coronagraph for Heliophysics Research

Coronagraphs are the only instruments capable of capturing the development of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in near-Sun space. Therefore, they provide critical information regarding the physics of CME evolution and propagation, which is essential for space weather forecasting. It is strategically vital to reduce the technological and logistical barriers associated with maintaining space-based coronagraphic observations. MiniCOR is an innovative coronagraph designed to tackle these challenges. Its primary technical aim is to demonstrate that a cost-effective, miniaturized 6U CubeSat coronagraph can produce data with a higher frequency and equal or superior sensitivity compared to both the full-sized, highly successful LASCO instruments and the operational CCOR and its variants. Funded by NASA's HPD H-FORT program, MiniCOR is a collaborative effort between JHU Applied Physics Laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory, and Argotec. Development commenced in 2024, with a target launch into a Sun-synchronous polar orbit in 2028. Building on the successful COR2 coronagraph from the STEREO mission, MiniCOR is closely integrated with a 'smart' bus from Argotec, utilizing on-board processing to optimize observations and data downlink, aiming to provide cutting-edge insights into the corona from 3 to 20 solar radii every 4 to 5 minutes. The success of MiniCOR will demonstrate that 'big science' can indeed be accommodated in 'small packages'.