SunRISE status: Concept development update

The authors present an update on the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission concept. SunRISE is space-based sparse array, composed of formation flying SmallSats designed to localize the radio emission associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. Radio emission from CMEs is a direct tracer of the particle acceleration in the inner heliosphere and potential magnetic connections from the lower solar corona to the larger heliosphere. Furthermore, CME radio emission is quite strong such that only a relatively small number of antennas is required, and a small mission would make a fundamental advancement. Indeed, the state-of-the-art for tracking CME radio emission is defined by single antennas (Wind/WAVES, Stereo/SWAVES) in which the tracking is accomplished by assuming a frequency-to-density mapping. The paper presents the most recent updates on this mission concept, starting with an overview of the science requirements. It then focuses on the SunRISE concept of operations, which consists of six SmallSats placed in a geostationary graveyard orbit for 6 months to achieve the aforementioned science goals. Each of the mission phases are discussed in detail. Finally, the paper dives into SunRISE's science data processing process, including simulation results, demonstrating how the data will produce sufficient to achieve the science goals.