▁Investig ator ▁is ▁Les ▁Johnson ▁at ▁NASA ' s ▁Marshall ▁Space ▁Fl ight ▁Center ▁in ▁Hun ts ville , ▁Alabama . ▁ ▁Over view ▁▁ ▁If ▁selected ▁for ▁launch , ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁Cru iser ▁mission ▁would ▁demonstrate ▁solar ▁sail ing ▁around ▁the ▁Sun ▁at ▁an ▁unusual ▁polar ▁orbit , ▁while ▁the ▁coron agraph ▁instrument ▁would ▁enable ▁simultane ous ▁measurements ▁of ▁the ▁Sun ' s ▁magnetic ▁field ▁structure ▁and ▁velocity ▁of ▁cor onal ▁mass ▁e jections . ▁A ▁nearly ▁ ▁solar ▁sail ▁would ▁demonstrate ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁use ▁solar ▁radiation ▁as ▁prop ulsion ▁and ▁facil itate ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁Sun ▁not ▁easily ▁accessible ▁with ▁current ▁technology , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁close - up ▁view ▁of ▁its ▁pol es . ▁▁ ▁Sol ar ▁Cru iser ▁was ▁awarded ▁$ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁for ▁nine - month ▁mission ▁concept ▁studies ▁to ▁be ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁H eli oph ys ics ▁Sol ar ▁Terr est rial ▁Pro bes ▁program , ▁which ▁is ▁managed ▁by ▁NASA ' s ▁God d ard ▁Space ▁Fl ight ▁Center ▁in ▁Green b elt , ▁Maryland . ▁If ▁selected ▁for ▁development , ▁it ▁would ▁launch ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 2 4 ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Inter stell ar ▁M apping ▁and ▁Acc eler ation ▁Pro be ▁( IMA P ). ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : S olar ▁sail ▁space craft ▁Category : S un ▁Category : Space ▁weather ▁ ▁Category : Pro posed ▁space craft <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Sh an ▁State ▁Army ▁- ▁South ▁( ; ▁abbre vi ated