In this opening talk for the session, we will review the science of the
Solar Orbiter, the current status, and how you can get involved. The mission has a combination of remote sensing and in situ instrumentation that
will allow us to 'see and touch' the solar wind. The orbit of the
spacecraft will reach inside the orbit of Mercury providing the first remotely sensed close up view of the Sun. In addition, using a series of Venus fly-bys,
the spacecraft will gradually leave the ecliptic plane, and will have the first view of the polar regions of the Sun. The mission will be launched in 2018.