Ulysses' third solar orbit

Sketch of Ulysses' third solar orbit. The spacecraft, launched in 1990, made its first polar passes in 1994 (south) and 1995 (north), near solar minimum. It made the second set of polar passes in 2000 and 2001, at the height of solar activity. On 17 November 2006, the spacecraft started its third passage over the Sun's south pole.