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Russians may be the first to reach the Sun
Despite the fact that the Sun is our "native" star, to date no one has been able to examine it at a close range. Now helio-physicists of several countries are working to create devices that would allow them to approach the sun as close as possible and study the processes taking place there. It is possible that the first solar probe will be launched in Russia.
Apart from the Russian project, there are currently also two similar projects abroad. European scientists are working on Solar Orbiter apparatus meant to study the Sun from a distance of 60 solar radii (this is slightly closer than the orbit of Mercury). The American Solar Probe will be approaching the Sun at a distance of only 8.5 radii from its surface.
However, Solar Orbiter will launch in 2017, and the Solar Probe - in 2018. As for the date of the launch of the Russian device, the experts believe it will occur in 2015. Russia has a real chance to be ahead of the rest of the world in this space endeavor.
